a 


"That  animal  seems  to  give  you  great  satisfaction. 
Sarpent,  though  it's  an  idolatrous  head,  at  the  best. 
'It  is  an  elephant,'  interrupted  Judith." 


THE  LEATHER  STOCKING  TALES 
UNCAS  EDITION 


THE  DEERSLAYER 


J.  FENIMORE  COOPER 


With  Introduction  bf 
EDWARD  J.  WHEELER.  Lit«.  D. 

Editor  of  Current  Liuratur* 


CURRENT  LITERATURE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
NEW  YORK 


INTRODUCTION 

TO  THE 

LEATHER -STOCKING  TALES 

How  impoverished  the  world  would  seem  if,  by  any 
mischance,,  it  were  to  lose  forever  the  romances  given  to  it 
in  the  first  half  of  the  Nineteenth  Century.  We  could 
manage  to  keep  our  souls  from  starving,  of  course,  with 
Homer  left  to  us,  and  the  Arabian  Nights,  and  Boccaccio, 
and  Defoe,  and  Cervantes,  and  Shakespeare.  But  it  fills 
us  with  pity  for  posterity  to  think  of  it  as  confined  to 
this  whirling  ball  in  the  long  years  to  come  bereft  of  the 
works  of  Scott  and  Dumas  and  Hugo  and  James  Feni- 
more  Cooper. 

That  was  a  wonderful  half-century  that  saw  such  planets 
as  these  blazing  in  the  heavens,  and,  besides  them,  Balzac 
and  Dickens  and  Thackeray  and  Jane  Austen  and  Haw 
thorne;  Shelley  and  Byron  and  Keats  and  Wordsworth 
and  Tennyson  and  De  Musset  and  Poe;  Goethe  and  Carlyle 
and  Ruskin  and  Emerson.  The  list  might  be  indefinitely 
lengthened.  But  it  would  include,  even  then,  very  few 
American  names.  We  were  too  busy  making  a  nation  and 
conquering  a  continent  to  do  very  much  dallying  with  the 
Muses.  Our  intellectual  energy  expended  itself,  for  the 
most  part,  upon  politics  and  religion,  and  the  spoken  rather 
than  the  written  word  was  our  favorite  medium  of  ex 
pression. 

The  pens  of  Cooper  and  Irving  were  the  first  to  reveal 
to  the  nations  of  Europe  the  existence  of  a  New  World 
in  literature  as  well  as  in  geography.  Almost  at  once 
Cooper's  romances  were  taken  to  their  hearts  by  the  readers 
of  England  and  France  and  Germany,  along  with  the 
romances  of  Scott  and  Dumas  and  Hugo.  By  many  they 
were  preferred  to  Scott's,  especially  the  Leather-Stocking 
tales,  which  were  translated  into  many  languages  and 
which  have  to  this  day  maintained  a  popularity  unattained 

iii 


iy  INTEODUCTION 

by  the  works  of  any  other  American  writer.  Only  one 
other  American  work  of  fiction — "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin" — 
can  be  compared  with  them  in  this  regard. 

It  may  almost  be  said  that  Cooper  stumbled  blindly 
into  the  rich  imaginative  region  that  he  made  so  pecidiarly 
his  own  in  the  Leather- Stocking  stories.  In  the  first  of 
them  which  he  wrote — "The  Pioneers" — there  is  no  evi 
dence  that  he  appreciated  the  richness  of  the  field.  Natty 
Bumppo,  in  that  story,  is  indeed  the  Natty  Bumppo  of  the 
other  stories  in  his  essential  qualities.  He  is  simple  and 
truthful  and  sagacious,  and  he  has  an  unerring  aim  with  a 
rifle.  But  there  is  but  little  of  the  Homeric  hero  about  him 
in  this  his  first  appearance.  He  is  already  old  and  his 
physical  powers  are  waning.  He  is  entirely  out  of  his 
element  in  the  village  in  which  he  is  made  to  pass  his 
days.  He  is  placed  in  the  humiliating  stocks  and  sent  to 
jail  for  killing  a  deer  in  the  closed  season  and  then  resist 
ing  the  execution  of  a  search  warrant.  His  contests  are 
not  with  the  fierce  savages  in  the  midst  of  the  forest  wilds, 
but  with  petty  village  constables  exercizing  their  brief 
official  powers. 

But  Chingachgook,  in  this  the  first  story  of  the  series  to 
be  written,  is  far  more  disappointing  even  than  Natty 
Bumppo.  He  wears  the  civilized  garb.  He  goes  to  church. 
He  gets  drunk  and  makes  himself  the  butt  of  ridicule. 
He  earns  his  living  weaving  baskets.  Only  in  his  death — 
for  he  dies  in  this  volume — do  we  catch  any  glimpse 
of  the  great  Sagamore  of  the  other  volumes  of  the  series. 
All  the  glow  and  glamor  of  the  idealized  Indian,  on  which 
Cooper's  chief  fame  came  to  rest,  are  missed  in  this  story. 
The  volume  could  be  dropped  and  the  series  be  none  the 
poorer.  Yet  it  was  immediately  popular  and  to  that  fact 
is  doubtless  due  the  author's  recognition  of  the  possibili 
ties  of  the  characters  he  had  created  in  Natty  Bumppo 
and  the  Mohican  Chief.  What  were  evidently  meant  to  be 
incidental  characters  in  a  single  story  seized  the  author's 
mind  and  the  mind  of  the  public  and  would  not  be  dis 
missed  until  they  had  inspired  four  more  novels  and  taken 
their  rightful  place  among  the  demigods  of  romance. 


INTRODUCTION  v 

Three  years  after  the  publication  of  "The  Pioneers," 
in  1826,  Cooper  published  "The  Last  of  the  Mohicans'" 
in  which  Chingachgook  reappears,  not  as  an  unedifying 
old  basket-maker,  but  in  all  the  panoply  of  savage  man 
hood.  With  him  appears  his  son  Uncas,  and  the  two  of 
them  give  us  the  legendary  "Cooper  Indian"  in  the  fulness 
of  his  glory.  Even  Francis  Parkman,  who  certainly  had 
no  illusions  as  to  the  character  of  the  real  Indian,  was  fas 
cinated  by  the  "Cooper  Indian."  He  wrote  of  the  Leather- 
Stocking  stories :  "The  scenes  and  characters  of  several  of 
his  [Cooper's]  novels  have  been  so  stamped  by  the  potency 
of  his  art  upon  my  mind  that  I  sometimes  find  it  difficult 
to  separate  them  distinctly  from  the  recollections  of  my 
own  past  experiences.  I  may  say  without  exaggeration 
that  Cooper  has  had  an  influence  in  determining  the 
course  of  my  life  and  pursuits." 

One  year  after  the  publication  of  "The  Last  of  the 
Mohicans"  appeared  "The  Prairie"  (1827).  In  it  Natty 
Bumppo  dies  in  a  befitting  manner.  His  career  seemed  to 
have  come  to  its  end.  For  thirteen  years  afterward  the 
author  busied  himself  with  his  other  literary  enterprises. 
But  the  character  he  had  created  and  then  buried  still 
haunted  his  mind  and  would  not  let  him  rest.  There 
are  indeed  several  references  in  "The  Prairie"  that  indi 
cate  that  another  story  was  intended.  In  1840  it  ap 
peared  in  "The  Pathfinder";  and  in  1841  appeared  "The 
Deerslayer,"  the  last  of  the  Leather-Stocking  tales  to  be 
written,  though  logically  the  first  of  the  series  to  be  read. 
In  it  we  get  Natty  and  Chingachgook  in  their  young  man 
hood,  before  either  had  raised  his  hand  against  a  foe. 
After  eighteen  years  the  series  had  become  complete. 

The  author  "continued  his  literary  labors,  but  Natty 
Bumppo  does  not  reappear.  Or,  rather,  he  never  disap 
pears,  but  takes  his  place  with  the  other  imperishable 
characters  of  romance  that  delight  generation  after  gen 
eration.  Nearly  one  hundred  years  have  passed  since  the 
first  imperfect  conception  of  him  was  formed  in  the 
author's  mind,  but  still  the  presses  revolve  year  after  year, 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

in  the  Old  World  as  well  as  the  New,  to  keep  his  memon 
alive. 

Alexander  Dumas  found  him  a  "perpetual  delight.' 
Thackeray  felt  a  "careless  rapture"  in  his  presence  anc 
ranked  him  above  any  of  Scott's  heroes.  Victor  Hug< 
counted  his  creator  a  greater  romancer  than  Scott.  N( 
normal  boy  who  has  ever  heard  it  has  failed  to  thrill  t( 
the  crack  of  "Killdeer,"  the  long  rifle  of  Hawkeye.  N( 
man  who  has  a  boy's  heart  still  pulsating  in  his  breast  car 
fail,  on  rereading  the  tales,  to  feel  something  of  his  earb 
rapture.  They  wear  well.  One  who  comes  back  to  then 
after  the  decades  have  flown  by  will  not  be  disappointed 
The  voice  of  Uncas  will  again  be  music  in  his  ears.  Th< 
Homeric  contest  between  Hard-Heart  and  Mahtoree  wil 
again  hold  him  breathless.  The  deadly  peril  of  Hawkeyi 
and  his  friends  in  the  cave  at  Glens  Falls  will  for  a  tim< 
make  him  forget  the  cares  of  business  or  the  responsibil 
ities  of  professional  life. 

The  universal  charm  of  the  stories,  for  boys  and  mei 
especially,  lies  in  their  elemental  character.  We  have  al 
of  us  come  up  out  of  primitive  conditions,  and  the  vestige: 
of  our  origin  lie  down  deep  in  our  consciousness.  Thesi 
are  not  tales  of  this  or  that  fleeting  form  of  civilization 
As  in  "Robinson  Crusoe,"  so  in  the  Leather- Stocking  tales 
the  struggles  we  witness  are  not  those  bred  by  the  conven 
tions  of  artificial  life,  which  change  from  year  to  year  anc 
vary  in  different  countries.  They  are  struggles  with  thi 
elements  of  nature — primeval  forests  and  lakes  and  prai 
ries,  savage  beasts,  primitive  men.  The  raw  material,  s< 
to  speak,  of  the  Leather- Stocking  tales  is  that  which  i: 
peculiar  to  no  race,  but  is  common  to  all  humanity.  Thi 
it  is  that  accounts  for  the  universality  of  Cooper's  appeal 

EDWARD  J.  WHEELER. 


PREFACE 

TO  THE 

LEATHER-STOCKING    TALES 

THIS  series  of  Stories,  which  has  obtained  the  name  of 
"The  Leather-Stocking  Tales, "  has  been  written  in  a  very 
desultory  and  inartificial  manner.  The  order  in  which 
the  several  books  appeared  was  essentially  different  from 
that  in  which  they  would  have  been  presented  to  the  world 
had  the  regular  course  of  their  incidents  been  consulted. 
In  "The  Pioneers,"  the  first  of  the  series  written,  the 
Leather-Stocking  is  represented  as  already  old,  and  driven 
from  his  early  haunts  in  the  forest  by  the  sound  of  the 
ax  and  the  smoke  of  the  settler.  "The  Last  of  the  Mo 
hicans,"  the  next  book  in  the  order  of  publication,  carried 
the  readers  back  to  a  much  earlier  period  in  the  history 
of  our  hero,  representing  him  as  middle-aged,  and  in  the 
fullest  vigor  of  manhood.  In  "The  Prairie,"  his  career 
terminates,  and  he  is  laid  in  his  grave.  There,  it  was 
originally  the  intention  to  leave  him,  in  the  expectation 
that,  as  in  the  case  of  the  human  mass,  he  would  soon  be 
forgotten.  But  a  latent  regard  for  this  character  induced 
the  author  to  resuscitate  him  in  "The  Pathfinder,"  a  book 
that  was  not  long  after  succeeded  by  "The  Deerslayer," 
thus  completing  the  series  as  it  now  exists.  While  the 
five  books  that  have  been  written  were  originally  pub 
lished  in  the  order  just  mentioned,  that  of  the  incidents, 
insomuch  as  they  are  connected  with  the  career  of  their 

vii 


viii    PREFACE  TO  LEATHER-STOCKING  TALES 

principal  character,  is,  as  has  been  stated,  very  different. 
Taking  the  life  of  the  Leather-Stocking  as  a  guide,  "The 
Deerslayer"  should  have  been  the  opening  book,  for  in 
that  work  he  is  seen  just  emerging  into  manhood ;  to  be 
succeeded  by  "The  Last  of  the  Mohicans,"  "The  Path 
finder,"  "The  Pioneers,"  and  "The  Prairie."  This  ar 
rangement  embraces  the  order  of  events,  though  far  from 
being  that  in  which  the  books  at  first  appeared.  "The 
Pioneers"  was  published  in  1822;  "The  Deerslayer"  in 
1841;  making  the  interval  between  them  nineteen  years. 
In  the  present  edition  the  several  tales  will  be  arranged 
solely  in  reference  to  their  connection  with  each  other. 

The  author  has  often  been  asked  if  he  had  any  original 
in  his  mind  for  the  character  of  Leather-Stocking.  In  a 
physical  sense,  different  individuals  known  to  the  writer 
in  early  life  certainly  presented  themselves  as  models, 
through  his  recollections;  but  in  a  moral  sense  this  man 
of  the  forest  is  purely  a  creation.  The  idea  of  delineating 
a  character  that  possessed  little  of  civilization  but  its 
highest  principles  as  they  are  exhibited  in  the  uneducated, 
and  all  of  savage  life  that  is  not  incompatible  with  these 
great  rules  of  conduct,  is  perhaps  natural  to  the  situation 
in  which  Natty  was  placed.  He  is  too  proud  of  his  origin 
to  sink  into  the  condition  of  the  wild  Indian,  and  too 
much  a  man  of  the  woods  not  to  imbibe  as  much  as  was 
at  all  desirable,  from  his  friends  and  companions.  In  a 
moral  point  of  view  it  was  the  intention  to  illustrate  the 
effect  of  seed  scattered  by  the  wayside.  To  use  his  own 
language,  his  "gifts"  were  "white  gifts,"  and  he  was 
not  disposed  to  bring  on  them  discredit.  On  the  other 
hand,  removed  from  nearly  all  the  temptations  of  civilized 
life,  placed  in  the  best  associations  of  that  which  is  deemed 
savage,  and  favorably  disposed  by  nature  to  improve  such 
advantages,  it  appeared  to  the  writer  that  his  hero  was  a 


PREFACE  TO  LEATHER-STOCKING  TALES      ir 

fit  subject  to  represent  the  better  qualities  of  both  con 
ditions,  without  pushing  either  to  extremes. 

There  was  no  violent  stretch  of  the  imagination,  per 
haps,  in  supposing  one  of  civilized  associations  in  child 
hood,  retaining  many  of  his  earliest  lessons  amid  the 
scenes  of  the  forest.  Had  these  early  impressions,  how 
ever,  not  been  sustained  by  continued,  though  casual  con 
nection  with  men  of  his  own  color,  if  not  of  his  own  caste, 
all  our  information  goes  to  show  he  would  soon  have  lost 
every  trace  of  his  origin.  It  is  believed  that  sufficient 
attention  was  paid  to  the  particular  circumstances  in 
which  this  individual  was  placed,  to  justify  the  picture 
of  his  qualities  that  has  been  drawn.  The  Delawares 
early  attracted  the  attention  of  the  missionaries,  and  were 
a  tribe  unusually  influenced  by  their  precepts  and  ex 
ample.  In  many  instances  they  became  Christians,  and 
cases  occurred  in  which  their  subsequent  lives  gave  proof 
of  the  efficacy  of  the  great  moral  changes  that  had  taken 
place  within  them. 

A  leading  character  in  a  work  of  fiction  has  a  fair  right 
to  the  aid  which  can  be  obtained  from  a  poetical  view  of 
the  subject.  It  is  in  this  view,  rather  than  in  one  more 
strictly  circumstantial,  that  Leather-Stocking  has  been 
drawn.  The  imagination  has  no  great  task  in  portraying 
to  itself  a  being  removed  from  the  every-day  inducements 
to  err,  which  abound  in  civilized  life,  while  he  retains 
the  best  and  simplest  of  his  early  impressions;  who  sees 
God  in  the  forest;  hears  Him  in  the  winds;  bows  to  Him 
in  the  firmament  that  o'ercanopies  all;  submits  to  his 
sway  in  a  humble  belief  of  his  justice  and  mercy;  in  a 
word,  a  being  who  finds  the  impress  of  the  Deity  in  all 
the  works  of  nature,  without  any  of  the  blots  produced 
by  the  expedients,  and  passions,  and  mistakes  of  man. 
This  is  the  most  that  has  been  attempted  in  the  character 


2   PREFACE  TO  LEATHER-STOCKING  TALES 

of  Leather-Stocking.  Had  this  been  done  without  any  of 
the  drawbacks  of  humanity,  the  picture  would  have  been, 
in  all  probability,  more  pleasing  than  just.  In  order  to 
preserve  the  vrai-semblable,  therefore,  traits  derived 
from  the  prejudices,  tastes,  and  even  the  weaknesses  of 
his  youth,  have  been  mixed  up  with  these  higher  quali 
ties  and  longings,  in  a  way,  it  is  hoped,  to  represent  a 
reasonable  picture  of  human  nature,  without  offering  to 
the  spectator  a  "monster  of  goodness." 

It  has  been  objected  to  these  books  that  they  give  a 
more  favorable  picture  of  the  red  man  than  he  deserves. 
The  writer  apprehends  that  much  of  this  objection  arises 
from  the  habits  of  those  who  have  made  it.  One  of  his 
critics,  on  the  appearance  of  the  first  work  in  which 
Indian  character  was  portrayed,  objected  that  its  "char 
acters  were  Indians  of  the  school  of  Heckewelder,  rather 
than  of  the  school  of  nature. ' '  These  words  quite  prob 
ably  contain  the  substance  of  the  true  answer  to  the  objec 
tion.  Heckewelder  was  an  ardent,  benevolent  missionary, 
bent  on  the  good  of  the  red  man,  and  seeing  in  him  one 
who  had  the  soul,  reason,  and  characteristics  of  a  fellow- 
being.  The  critic  is  understood  to  have  been  a  very  dis 
tinguished  agent  of  the  government,  one  very  familiar 
with  Indians,  as  they  are  seen  at  the  councils  to  treat 
for  the  sale  of  their  lands,  where  little  or  none  of  their 
domestic  qualities  come  in  play,  and  where,  indeed,  their 
evil  passions  are  known  to  have  the  fullest  scope.  As  just 
would  it  be  to  draw  conclusions  of  the  general  state  of 
American  society  from  the  scenes  of  the  capital,  as  to 
suppose  that  the  negotiating  of  one  of  these  treaties  is  a 
fair  picture  of  Indian  life. 

It  is  the  privilege  of  all  writers  of  fiction,  more  par 
ticularly  when  their  works  aspire  to  the  elevation  of 
romances,  to  present  the  beau-ideal  of  their  characters 


PREFACE  TO  LEATHER-STOCKING  TALES      xi 

to  the  reader.  This  it  is  which  constitutes  poetry,  and  to 
suppose  that  the  red  man  is  to  be  represented  only  in 
the  squalid  misery  or  in  the  degraded  moral  state  that 
certainly  more  or  less  belongs  to  his  condition,  is,  we 
apprehend,  taking  a  very  narrow  view  of  an  author's 
privileges.  Such  criticism  would  have  deprived  the 
world  of  even  Homer. 


INTRODUCTION 

TO  THE 

DEERSLAYER 

As  has  been  stated  in  the  preface  to  the  series  of  the 
Leather-Stocking  Tales,  "The  Deerslayer"  is  properly  the 
first  in  the  order  of  reading,  though  the  last  in  that  of 
publication.  In  this  book  the  hero  is  represented  as  just 
arriving  at  manhood,  with  the  freshness  of  feeling  that 
belongs  to  that  interesting  period  of  life,  and  with  the 
power  to  please  that  properly  characterizes  youth.  As  a 
consequence,  he  is  loved;  and,  what  denotes  the  real  way 
wardness  of  humanity,  more  than  it  corresponds  with 
theories  and  moral  propositions,  perhaps,  he  is  loved  by 
one  full  of  art,  vanity,  and  weakness,  and  loved  princi 
pally  for  his  sincerity,  his  modesty,  and  his  unerring 
truth  and  probity.  The  preference  he  gives  to  the  high 
qualities  named,  over  beauty,  delirious  passion,  and  sin, 
it  is  hoped,  will  offer  a  lesson  that  can  injure  none.  This 
portion  of  the  book  is  intentionally  kept  down,  though  it 
is  thought  to  be  sufficiently  distinct  to  convey  its  moral. 

The  intention  has  been  to  put  the  sisters  in  strong  con 
trast;  one,  admirable  in  person,  clever,  filled  with  the 
pride  of  beauty,  erring,  and  fallen;  the  other,  barely 
provided  with  sufficient  capacity  to  know  good  from  evil, 
instinct,  notwithstanding,  with  the  virtues  of  woman, 
reverencing  and  loving  God,  and  yielding  only  to  the 
weakness  of  her  sex,  in  admiring  personal  attractions 
in  one  too  coarse  and  unobservant  to  distinguish  or  to 
understand  the  quiet,  gentle  feeling  in  his  favor. 

As  for  the  scene  of  this  tale,  it  is  intended  for,  and 
believed  to  be,  a  close  description  of  the  Otsego,  prior  to 


INTRODUCTION 

the  year  1760,'  when  the  first  rude  settlement  was  com 
menced  on  its  banks,  at  that  time  only  an  insignificant 
clearing  near  the  outlet,  with  a  small  hut  of  squared 
logs,  for  the  temporary  dwelling  of  the  Deputy  Superin 
tendent  of  Indian  affairs.  The  recollections  of  the  writer 
carry  him  back  distinctly  to  a  time  when  nine-tenths  of 
the  shores  of  this  lake  were  in  the  virgin  forest,  a 
peculiarity  that  was  owing  to  the  circumstance  of  the 
roads  running  through  the  first  range  of  valleys  removed 
from  the  water  side.  The  woods  and  the  mountains  have 
ever  formed  a  principal  source  of  beauty  with  this  charm 
ing  sheet  of  water,  enough  of  the  former  remaining  to 
this  day  to  relieve  the  open  grounds  from  monotony  and 
tameness.1 

In  most  respects  the  descriptions  of  scenery  in  the  tale 
are  reasonably  accurate.  The  rock  appointed  for  the  ren 
dezvous  between  the  Deerslayer  and  his  friend  the  Dela 
ware  still  remains,  bearing  the  name  of  the  Otsego  Rock. 
The  shoal  on  which  Hutter  is  represented  as  having  built 
his  "castle"  is  a  little  misplaced,  lying,  in  fact,  nearer 
to  the  northern  end  of  the  lake,  as  well  as  to  the  eastern 
shore,  than  is  stated  in  this  book.  Such  a  shoal,  however, 
exists,  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  deep  water.  In  the 
dryest  season  a  few  rocks  are  seen  above  the  surface  of 
the  lake,  and  rushes,  at  most  periods  of  the  year,  mark 
its  locality.  In  a  word,  in  all  but  precise  position,  even 
this  feature  of  the  book  is  accurate.  The  same  is  true  of 
the  several  points  introduced,  of  the  bay,  of  the  river, 
of  the  mountains,  and  of  all  the  other  accessories  of  the 
place.  The  legend  is  purely  fiction,  no  authority  existing 
for  any  of  its  facts,  characters,  or  other  peculiarities, 
beyond  that  which  was  thought  necessary  to  secure  the 
semblance  of  reality. 

1 "  The  Deerslayer  "  was  written  in  1841.    J.  Fenimore  Cooper  died  September 

14, 1851. 


CHAPTER  I 

"There  is  a  pleasure  in  the  pathless  woods, 
There  is  a  rapture  on  the  lonely  shore, 
There  is  society  where  none  intrudes, 
By  the  deep  sea,  and  music  in  its  roar : 
I  love  not  man  the  less,  but  nature  more. 
From  these  our  interviews,  in  which  I  steal, 
From  all  I  may  be,  or  have  been  before, 
To  mingle  with  the  universe,  and  feel 
What  I  can  ne'er  express,  yet  cannot  all  conceal.  " 

-CHILDE  HAHOLD. 

ON  the  human  imagination  events  produce  the  effects 
of  time.  Thus,  he  who  has  traveled  far  and  seen  much  is 
apt  to  fancy  that  he  has  lived  long;  and  the  history  that 
most  abounds  in  important  incidents  soonest  assumes  the 
aspect  of  antiquity.  In  no  other  way  can  we  account  for 
the  venerable  air  that  is  already  gathering  around  Amer 
ican  annals.  When  the  mind  reverts  to  the  earliest  days 
of  colonial  history,  the  period  seems  remote  and  obscure, 
the  thousand  changes  that  thicken  along  the  links  of 
recollections,  throwing  back  the  origin  of  the  nation  to  a 
day  so  distant  as  seemingly  to  reach  the  mists  of  time; 
and  yet  four  lives  of  ordinary  duration  would  suffice  to 
transmit,  from  mouth  to  mouth,  in  the  form  of  tradition, 
all  that  civilized  man  has  achieved  within  the  limits  of 
the  republic.1  Although  New  York  alone  possesses  a 
population  materially  exceeding  that  of  either  of  the  four 
smallest  kingdoms  of  Europe,  or  materially  exceeding 
that  of  the  entire  Swiss  Confederation,  it  is  little  more 
than  two  centuries  since  the  Dutch  commenced  their 
settlement,  rescuing  the  region  from  the  savage  state. 
Thus,  what  seems  venerable  by  an  accumulation  of  changes 

1  This  was  true  when  the  "  Leather-Stocking  Tales  "  were  written,  but  since 
1841  the  United  States  have  made  strides  which  would  astonish  the  shades  of  the 
"  Deerslayer,"  and  "  Mohegan,"  and  of  the  author  himself,  were  they  permitted 
to  revisit  the  mighty  empire  which  was  a  short  time  a&u  a  wilderness.- ED. 


2  THE   DEERSLAYER 

is  reduced  to  familiarity  when  we  come  seriously  to  con 
sider  it  solely  in  connection  with  time. 

This  glance  into  the  perspective  of  the  past  will  prepare 
the  reader  to  look  at  the  pictures  we  are  about  to  sketch 
with  less  surprise  than  he  might  otherwise  feel;  and  a 
few  additional  explanations  may  carry  him  back  in  imag 
ination  to  the  precise  condition  of  society  that  we  desire 
to  delineate.  It  is  matter  of  history  that  the  settlements 
on  the  eastern  shores  of  the  Hudson,  such  as  Claverack, 
Kinderhook,  and  even  Poughkeepsie,  were  not  regarded 
as  safe  from  Indian  incursions  a  century  since;  and  there 
is  still  standing  on  the  banks  of  the  same  river,  and  within 
musket-shot  of  the  wharves  of  Albany,  a  residence  of  a 
younger  branch  l  of  the  Van  Rensselaers,  that  has  loopholes 
constructed  for  defense  against  the  same  crafty  enemy, 
although  it  dates  from  a  period  scarcely  so  distant.  Other 
similar  memorials  of  the  infancy  of  the  country  are  to  be 
found,  scattered  through  what  is  now  deemed  the  very 
center  of  American  civilization,  affording  the  plainest 
proofs  that  all  we  possess  of  security  from  invasion  and 
hostile  violence  is  the  growth  of  but  little  more  than  the 
time  that  is  frequently  filled  by  a  single  human  life. 

The  incidents  of  this  tale  occurred  between  the  years 
1740  and  1745,  when  the  settled  portions  of  the  colony  of 
New  York  were  confined  to  the  four  Atlantic  counties,  a 
narrow  belt  of  country  on  each  side  of  the  Hudson,  ex 
tending  from  its  mouth  to  the  falls  near  its  head,  and  to 
a  few  advanced  "neighborhoods"  on  the  Mohawk  and  the 
Schoharie.  Broad  belts  of  the  virgin  wilderness  not  only 
reached  the  shores  of  the  first  river,  but  they  even  crossed 
it,  stretching  away  into  New  England,  and  affording 
forest  covers  to  the  noiseless  moccasin  of  the  native 
warrior,  as  he  trod  the  secret  and  bloody  war-path.  A 
bird's-eye  view  of  the  whole  region  east  of  the  Mississippi 
must  then  have  offered  one  vast  expanse  of  woods,  relieved 
by  a  comparatively  narrow  fringe  of  cultivation  along  the 
sea,  dotted  by  the  glittering  surfaces  of  lakes,  and  inter 
sected  by  the  waving  lines  of  rivers.  In  such  a  vast  pic 
ture  of  solemn  solitude,  the  district  of  country  we  design 

1  It  is  no  more  than  justice  to  say  that  the  Greenbush  Van  Rensselaers  claim 
to  be  the  oldest  branch  of  that  ancient  and  respectable  family. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  3 

to  paint  sinks  into  insignificance,  though  we  feel  encour 
aged  to  proceed  by  the  conviction  that,  with  slight  and 
immaterial  distinctions,  he  who  succeeds  in  giving  an 
accurate  idea  of  any  portion  of  this  wild  region  must 
necessarily  convey  a  tolerably  correct  notion  of  the  whole. 

Whatever  may  be  the  changes  produced  by  man,  the 
eternal  round  of  the  seasons  is  unbroken.  Summer  and 
winter,  seed  time  and  harvest,  return  in  their  stated  order 
with  a  sublime  precision,  affording  to  man  one  of  the 
noblest  of  all  the  occasions  he  enjoys  of  proving  the  high 
powers  of  his  far-reaching  mind,  in  compassing  the  laws 
that  control  their  exact  uniformity,  and  in  calculating 
their  never-ending  revolutions.  Centuries  of  summed 
suns  had  warmed  the  tops  of  the  same  noble  oaks  and 
pines,  sending  their  heats  even  to  the  tenacious  roots, 
when  voices  were  heard  calling  to  each  other,  in  the 
depths  of  a  forest,  of  which  the  leafy  surface  lay  bathed 
in  the  brilliant  light  of  a  cloudless  day  in  June,  while  the 
trunks  of  the  trees  rose  in  gloomy  grandeur  in  the  shades 
beneath.  The  calls  were  in  different  tones,  evidently 
proceeding  from  two  men  who  had  lost  their  way,  and 
were  searching  in  different  directions  for  their  path.  At 
length  a  shout  proclaimed  success,  and  presently  a  man  of 
gigantic  mould  broke  out  of  the  tangled  labyrinth  of  a 
small  swamp,  emerging  into  an  opening  that  appeared  to 
have  been  formed  partly  by  the  ravages  of  the  wind,  and 
partly  by  those  of  fire.  This  little  area,  which  afforded  a 
good  view  of  the  sky,  although  it  was  pretty  well  filled 
with  dead  trees,  lay  on  the  side  of  one  of  the  high  hills, 
or  low  mountains,  into  which  nearly  the  whole  surface  of 
the  adjacent  country  was  broken. 

"Here  is  room  to  breathe  in!"  exclaimed  the  liberated 
forester,  as  soon  as  he  found  himself  under  a  clear  sky, 
shaking  his  huge  frame  like  a  mastiff  that  has  just  escaped 
from  a  snowbank.  "Hurrah!  Deerslayer;  here  is  day 
light,  at  last,  and  yonder  is  the  lake. ' ' 

These  words  were  scarcely  uttered  when  the  second  for 
ester  dashed  aside  the  bushes  of  the  swamp,  and  appeared 
in  the  area.  After  making  a  hurried  adjustment  of  his 
arms  and  disordered  dress,  he  joined  his  companion,  who 
had  already  begun  his  dispositions  for  a  halt. 


4  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Do  you  know  this  spot?"  demanded  the  one  called 
Deerslayer,  "or  do  you  shout  at  the  sight  of  the  sun?" 

"Both,  lad,  both;  I  know  the  spot,  and  am  not  sorry  to 
see  so  useful  a  friend  as  the  sun.  Now  we  have  got  the 
p'ints  of  the  compass  in  our  minds  once  more,  and  'twill 
be  our  own  faults  if  we  let  anything  turn  them  topsy-turvy 
ag'in,  as  has  just  happened.  My  name  is  not  Hurry  Harry 
if  this  be  not  the  very  spot  where  the  land-hunters  camped 
the  last  summer,  and  passed  a  week.  See!  yonder  are  the 
dead  bushes  of  their  bower,  and  here  is  the  spring.  Much 
as  I  like  the  sun,  boy,  I've  no  occasion  for  it  to  tell  me  it 
is  noon;  this  stomach  of  mine  is  as  good  a  time-piece  as 
is  to  be  found  in  the  colony,  and  it  already  p'ints  to  half- 
past  twelve.  So  open  the  wallet,  and  let  us  wind  up  for 
another  six  hours'  run. ' ' 

At  this  suggestion,  both  set  themselves  about  making 
the  preparations  necessary  for  their  usual  frugal  but 
hearty  meal.  We  will  profit  by  this  pause  in  the  discourse 
to  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  appearance  of  the  men, 
each  of  whom  is  destined  to  enact  no  insignificant  part  in 
our  legend.  It  would  not  have  been  easy  to  find  a  more 
noble  specimen  of  vigorous  manhood  than  was  offered  in 
the  person  of  him  who  called  himself  Hurry  Harry.  His 
real  name  was  Henry  March;  but  the  frontiersmen  having 
caught  the  practise  of  giving  sobriquets  from  the  Indians, 
the  appellation  of  Hurry  was  far  oftener  applied  to  him 
than  his  proper  designation,  and  not  unf  requently  he  was 
termed  Hurry  Skurry,  a  nickname  he  had  obtained  from 
a  dashing,  reckless,  off-hand  manner,  and  a  physical  rest 
lessness  that  kept  him  so  constantly  on  the  move,  as  to 
cause  him  to  be  known  along  the  whole  line  of  scattered 
habitations  that  lay  between  the  province  and  the  Canadas. 
The  stature  of  Hurry  Harry  exceeded  six  feet  four,  and 
being  unusually  well  proportioned,  his  strength  fully  real 
ized  the  idea  created  by  his  gigantic  frame.  The  face  did 
no  discredit  to  the  rest  of  the  man,  for  it  was  both  good- 
humored  and  handsome.  His  air  was  free;  and  though  his 
manner  necessarily  partook  of  the  rudeness  of  a  border 
life,  the  grandeur  that  pervaded  so  noble  a  physique  pre 
vented  it  from  becoming  altogether  vulgar. 

Deerslayer,  as  Hurry  called  his  companion,  was  a  very 


THE   DEERSLAYER  5 

different  person  in  appearance,  as  well  as  in  character.  In 
stature  he  stood  about  six  feet  in  his  moccasins,  but'  his 
frame  was  comparatively  light  and  slender, '  showing- 
muscles,  however,  that  promised  unusual  agility,  if  not 
unusual  strength.  His  face  would  have  had  little  to 
recommend  it  except  youth,  were  it  not  for  an  expression 
that  seldom  failed  to  win  upon  those  who  had  leisure  to 
examine  it,  and  to  yield  to  the  feeling  of  confidence  it 
created.  This  expression  was  simply  that  of  guileless 
truth,  sustained  by  an  earnestness  of  purpose,  and  a  sin 
cerity  of  feeling,  that  rendered  it  remarkable.  At  times 
this  air  of  integrity  seemed  to  be  so  simple  as  to  awaken 
the  suspicion  of  a  want  of  the  usual  means  to  discriminate 
between  artifice  and  truth;  but  few  came  in  serious  con 
tact  with  the  man,  without  losing  this  distrust  in  respect 
for  his  opinions  and  motives. 

Both  these  frontiersmen  were  still  young,  Hurry  having 
reached  the  age  of  six  or  eight  and  twenty,  while  Deer- 
slayer  was  several  years  his  junior.  Their  attire  needs  no 
particular  description,  though  it  may  be  well  to  add  that 
it  was  composed  in  no  small  degree  of  dressed  deerskins, 
and  had  the  usual  signs  of  belonging  to  those  who  pass 
their  time  between  the  skirts  of  civilized  society  and  the 
boundless  forests.  There  was,  notwithstanding,  some  at 
tention  to  smartness  and  the  picturesque  in  the  arrange 
ments  of  Deerslayer's  dress,  more  particularly  in  the  part 
connected  with  his  arms  and  accouterments.  His  rifle  was 
in  perfect  condition,  the  handle  of  his  hunting-knife  was 
neatly  carved,  his  powder-horn  was  ornamented  with 
suitable  devices  lightly  cut  into  the  material,  and  his 
shot-pouch  was  decorated  with  wampum.  On  the  other 
hand,  Hurry  Harry,  either  from  constitutional  reckless 
ness,  or  from  a  secret  consciousness  how  little  his  appear 
ance  required  artificial  aids,  wore  everything  in  a  care 
less,  slovenly  manner,  as  if  he  felt  a  noble  scorn  for  the 
trifling  accessories  of  dress  and  ornaments.  Perhaps  the 
peculiar  effect  of  his  fine  form  and  great  stature  was 
increased  rather  than  lessened,  by  this  unstudied  and  dis 
dainful  air  of  indifference. 

"Come,  Deerslayer,  fall  to,  and  prove  that  you  have  a 
Delaware  stomach,  as  you  say  you  have  had  a  Delaware 


6  THE   DEERSLAYER 

edication,"  cried  Hurry,  setting  the  example  by  opening 
his  mouth  to  receive  a  slice  of  cold  venison  steak  that 
would  have  made  an  entire  meal  for  a  European  peasant; 
"fall  to,  lad,  and  prove  your  manhood  on  this  poor  devil 
of  a  doe,  with  your  teeth,  as  you've  already  done  with 
your  rifle." 

"Nay,  nay,  Hurry,  there's  little  manhood  in  killing  a 
doe,  and  that,  too,  out  of  season;  though  there  might  be 
some  in  bringing  down  a  painter  or  a  catamount, ' '  returned 
the  other,  disposing  himself  to  comply.  "The  Delawares 
have  given  me  my  name,  not  so  much  on  account  of  a  bold 
heart,  as  on  account  of  a  quick  eye,  and  an  actyve  foot. 
There  may  not  be  any  cowardyce  in  overcoming  a  deer, 
but  sartain  it  is,  there's  no  great  valor." 

"The  Delawares  themselves  are  no  heroes, "  muttered 
Hurry  through  his  teeth,  the  mouth  being  too  full  to 
permit  it  to  be  fairly  opened,  "or  they  would  never  have 
allowed  them  loping  vagabonds,  the  Mingoes,  to  make 
them  women. ' ' 

"That  matter  is  not  rightly  understood— has  never  been 
rightly  explained,"  said  Deerslayer  earnestly,  for  he  was 
as  zealous  a  friend  as  his  companion  was  dangerous  as  an 
enemy;  "the  Mengwe  fill  the  woods  with  their  lies,  and 
misconstruct  words  and  treaties.  I  have  now  lived  ten 
years  with  the  Delawares,  and  know  them  to  be  as  manful 
as  any  other  nation,  when  the  proper  time  to  strike 
comes. ' ' 

"Harkee,  Master  Deerslayer,  since  we  are  on  the  sub 
ject,  we  may  as  well  open  our  minds  to  each  other  in  a 
man-to-man  way;  answer  me  one  question;  you  have  had 
so  much  luck  among  the  game  as  to  have  gotten  a  title,  it 
would  seem,  but  did  you  ever  hit  anything  human  or 
intelligible;  did  you  ever  pull  trigger  on  an  inimy  that 
was  capable  of  pulling  one  upon  you?" 

This  question  produced  a  singular  collision  between 
mortification  and  correct  feeling,  in  the  bosom  of  the 
youth,  that  was  easily  to  be  traced  in  the  workings  of  his 
ingenuous  countenance.  The  struggle  was  short,  however ; 
uprightness  of  heart  soon  getting  the  better  of  false  pride 
and  frontier  boastfulness. 

"To  own  the  truth,  I  never  did,"  answered  Deerslayer; 


THE   DEERSLAYER  7 

"seeing  that  a  fitting  occasion  never  offered.  The  Dela- 
wares  have  been  peaceable  since  my  sojourn  with  'em,  and 
I  hold  it  to  be  onlawful  to  take  the  life  of  man,  except  in 
open  and  generous  warfare. ' ' 

"What!  did  you  never  find  a  fellow  thieving  among 
your  traps  and  skins,  and  do  the  law  on  him  with  your 
own  hands,  by  way  of  saving  the  magistrates  trouble  in  the 
settlements,  and  the  rogue  himself  the  cost  of  the  suit?" 

"I  am  no  trapper,  Hurry,"  returned  the  young  man 
proudly;  "I  live  by  the  rifle,  a  we'pon  at  which  I  will  not 
turn  my  back  on  any  man  of  my  years,  atween  the  Hudson 
and  the  St.  Lawrence.  I  never  offer  a  skin  that  has  not  a 
hole  in  its  head  besides  them  which  natur'  made  to  see 
with  or  to  breathe  through." 

"Ay,  ay,  this  is  all  very  well,  in  the  animal  way,  though 
it  makes  but  a  poor  figure  alongside  of  scalps  and  am 
bushes.  Shooting  an  Indian  from  an  ambush  is  acting  up 
to  his  own  principles,  and  now  we  have  what  you  call  a 
lawful  war  on  your  hands,  the  sooner  you  wipe  that  dis 
grace  off  your  character,  the  sounder  will  be  your  sleep ; 
if  it  only  come  from  knowing  there  is  one  inimy  the  less 
prowling  in  the  woods.  I  shall  not  frequent  your  society 
long,  friend  Natty,  unless  you  look  higher  than  four-footed 
beasts  to  practyse  your  rifle  on." 

"Our  journey  is  nearly  ended,  you  say,  Master  March, 
and  we  can  part  to-night,  if  you  see  occasion.  I  have  a 
fri'nd  waiting  for  me,  who  will  think  it  no  disgrace  to 
consort  with  a  fellow-creatur  that  has  never  yet  slain  his 
kind." 

"I  wish  I  knew  what  has  brought  that  skulking  Dela 
ware  into  this  part  of  the  country  so  early  in  the  season, 
muttered    Hurry  to  himself,  in  a  way  to  show  equally 
distrust  and  a  recklessness  of  its  betrayal.     "Where  did 
you  say  the  young  chief  was  to  give  you  the  meeting?' 

"At  a  small  round  rock,  near  the  foot  of  the  lake, 
where,  they  tell  me,  the  tribes  are  given  to  resorting  to 
make  their  treaties,  and  to  bury  their  hatchets.  This  rock 
have  I  often  heard  the  Delawares  mention,  though  lake 
and  rock  are  equally  strangers  to  me.  The  country  is 
claimed  by  both  Mingoes  and  Mohicans,  and  is  a  sort  of 
common  territory  to  fish  and  hunt  through,  m  time  of 


8  THE   DEERSLAYER 

peace,  though  what  it  may  become  in  war-time,  the  Lord 
only  knows!" 

"Common  territory!"  exclaimed  Hurry,  laughing  aloud. 
"I  should  like  to  know  what  Floating  Tom  Hutter  would  say 
to  that?  He  claims  the  lake  as  his  own  property,  in  vartue 
of  fifteen  years'  possession,  and  will  not  be  likely  to  give  it 
up  to  either  Mingo  or  Delaware  without  a  battle  for  it." 

"And  what  will  the  colony  say  to  such  a  quarrel?  All 
this  country  must  have  some  owner,  the  gentry  pushing 
their  cravings  into  the  wilderness,  even  where  they  never 
dare  to  ventur',  in  their  own  persons,  to  look  at  the  land 
they  own. ' ' 

"That  may  do  in  other  quarters  of  the  colony,  Deer- 
slayer,  but  it  will  not  do  here.  Not  a  human  being,  the 
Lord  excepted,  owns  a  foot  of  sile  in  this  part  of  the 
country.  Pen  was  never  put  to  paper  consarning  either 
hill  or  valley  hereaway,  as  I've  heard  old  Tom  say  time 
and  ag'in,  and  so  he  claims  the  best  right  to  it  of  any  man 
breathing;  and  what  Tom  claims,  he'll  be  very  likely  to 
maintain." 

"By  what  I've  heard  you  say,  Hurry,  this  Floating  Tom 
must  be  an  oncommon  mortal ;  neither  Mingo,  Delaware, 
nor  pale  face.  His  possession,  too,  has  been  long,  by  your 
tell,  and  altogether  beyond  frontier  endurance.  What's 
the  man's  history  and  natur'?" 

"Why,  as  to  old  Tom's  human  natur',  it  is  not  much 
like  other  men's  human  natur',  but  more  like  a  muskrat's 
human  natur',  seeing  that  he  takes  more  to  the  ways 
of  that  animal  than  to  the  ways  of  any  other  fellow- 
creatur'.  Some  think  he  was  a  free  liver  on  the  salt 
water,  in  his  youth,  and  a  companion  of  a  sartain  Kidd, 
who  was  hanged  for  piracy,  long  afore  you  and  I  were 
born  or  acquainted,  and  that  he  came  up  into  these  regions 
thinking  that  the  king's  cruisers  could  never  cross  the 
mountains,  and  that  he  might  enjoy  the  plunder  peaceably 
in  the  woods. ' ' 

"Then  he  was  wrong,  Hurry;  very  wrong.  A  man  can 
enjoy  plunder  peaceably  nowhere." 

"That's  much  as  his  turn  of  mind  may  happen  to  be. 
I've  known  them  that  never  could  enjoy  it  at  all,  unless  it 
was  in  the  midst  of  a  jollification,  and  them  ag'in  that 


enjoyed  it  best  in  a  corner.  Some  men  have  no  peace  if 
they  don't  find  plunder,  and  some  if  they  do.  Human 
natur'  is  crooked  in  these  matters.  Old  Tom  seems  to 
belong  to  neither  set,  as  he  enjoys  his,  if  plunder  he  has 
really  got,  with  his  darters,  in  a  very  quiet  and  comfort 
able  way,  and  wishes  for  no  more." 

"Ay,  he  has  darters,  too;  I've  heard  the  Delawares, 
who've  hunted  this-a-away,  tell  their  histories  of  these 
young  women.  Is  there  no  mother,  Hurry?" 

"There  was  once,  as  in  reason;  but  she  has  now  been 
dead  and  sunk  these  two  good  years." 

"Anan?"  said  Deerslayer,  looking  up  at  his  companion 
in  a  little  surprise. 

"Dead  and  sunk,  I  say,  and  I  hope  that's  good  English. 
The  old  fellow  lowered  his  wife  into  the  lake,  by  way  of 
seeing  the  last  of  her,  as  I  can  testify,  being  an  eye 
witness  of  the  ceremony;  but  whether  Tom  did  it  to  save 
digging,  which  is  no  easy  job  among  roots,  or  out  of  a 
consait  that  water  washes  away  sin  sooner  than  'arth,  is 
more  than  I  can  say." 

"Was  the  poor  woman  oncommon  wicked,  that  her 
husband  should  take  so  much  pains  with  her  body?" 

"Not  onreasonable ;  though  she  had  her  faults.  I  con 
sider  Judith  Hutter  to  have  been  as  graceful,  and  about 
as  likely  to  make  a  good  ind,  as  any  woman  who  had  lived 
so  long  beyond  the  sound  of  church  bells,  and  I  conclude 
old  Tom  sunk  her  as  much  by  way  of  saving  pains,  as  by 
way  of  taking  it.  There  was  a  little  steel  in  her  temper, 
it's  true,  and,  as  old  Hutter  is  pretty  much  flint,  they 
struck  out  sparks  once-and-a-while;  but,  on  the  whole, 
they  might  be  said  to  live  amicable  like.  When  they  did 
kindle,  the  listeners  got  some  such  insights  into  their  past 
lives,  as  one  gets  into  the  darkest  parts  of  the  woods,  when 
a  stray  gleam  of  sunshine  finds  its  way  down  to  the  roots 
of  the  trees.  But  Judith  I  shall  always  esteem,  as  it's 
recommend  enough  to  one  woman  to  be  the  mother  of  such 
a  creatur'  as  her  darter,  Judith  Hutter!" 

"Ay,  Judith  was  the  name  the  Delawares  mentioned, 
though  it  was  pronounced  after  a  fashion  of  their  own. 
From  their  discourse,  I  do  not  think  the  girl  would  much 
please  my  fancy." 


10  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Thy  fancy!"  exclaimed  March,  taking  fire  equallj  at 
the  indifference  and  at  the  presumption  of  his  companion, 
"what  the  devil  have  you  to  do  with  a  fancy,  and  that, 
too,  consarning  one  like  Judith?  You  are  but  a  boy — a 
sapling,  that  has  scarce  got  root.  Judith  has  had  men 
among  her  suitors,  ever  since  she  was  fifteen;  which  is 
now  near  five  years;  and  will  not  be  apt  even  to  cast  a 
look  upon  a  half-grown  creatur'  like  you!" 

"It  is  June,  and  there  is  not  a  cloud  atween  us  and  the 
sun,  Hurry,  so  all  this  heat  is  not  wanted,"  answered  the 
other,  altogether  undisturbed;  "anyone  may  have  a  fancy, 
and  a  squirrel  has  a  right  to  make  up  his  mind  touching 
a  catamount. ' ' 

"Ay,  but  it  might  not  be  wise,  always,  to  let  the  cata 
mount  know  it,"  growled  March.  "But  you're  young  and 
thoughtless,  and  I'll  overlook  your  ignorance.  Come, 
Deerslayer, "  he  added,  with  a  good-natured  laugh,  after 
pausing  a  moment  to  reflect,  "come,  Deerslayer,  we  are 
sworn  fr'inds,  and  will  not  quarrel  about  a  light-minded, 
jilting  jade,  just  because  she  happens  to  be  handsome; 
more  especially  as  you  have  never  seen  her.  Judith  is 
only  for  a  man  whose  teeth  show  the  full  marks,  and  it's 
foolish  to  be  afeard  of  a  boy.  What  did  the  Delawares  say 
of  the  hussy?  for  an  Indian,  after  all,  has  his  notions  of 
womankind,  as  well  as  a  white  man." 

"They  said  she  was  fair  to  look  on,  and  pleasant  of 
speech;  but  over-given  to  admirers,  and  light-minded." 

"They  are  devils  incarnate!  After  all,  what  school 
master  is  a  match  for  an  Indian,  in  looking  into  natur'? 
Some  people  think  they  are  only  good  on  a  trail  or  the 
war-path,  but  I  say  that  they  are  philosophers,  and  under 
stand  a  man  as  well  as  they  understand  a  beaver,  and  a 
woman  as  well  as  they  understand  either.  Now  that's 
Judith's  character  to  a  ribbon!  To  own  the  truth  to  you, 
Deerslayer,  I  should  have  married  the  gal  two  years  since, 
if  it  had  not  been  for  two  particular  things,  one  of  which 
was  this  very  light-mindedness." 

"And  what  may  have  been  the  other?"  demanded  the 
hunter,  who  continued  to  eat  like  one  that  took  very  little 
interest  in  the  subject. 

"T'other  was  an  insartainty  about  her  having  me.    The 


THE   DEERSLAYER  11 

hussy  is  handsome,  and  she  knows  it.  Boy,  not  a  tree  that 
is  growing  in  these  hills  is  straighter,  or  waves  in  the 
wind  with  an  easier  bend,  nor  did  you  ever  see  the  doe 
that  bounded  with  a  more  nat'ral  motion.  If  that  was  all, 
every  tongue  would  sound  her  praises;  but  she  has  such 
failings  that  I  find  it  hard  to  overlook  them,  and  some 
times  I  swear  I'll  never  visit  the  lake  ag'in. " 

"Which  is  the  reason  that  you  always  come  back? 
Nothing  is  ever  made  more  sure  by  swearing  about  it." 

"Ah,  Deerslayer,  you  are  a  novelty  in  these  partic'lars; 
keeping  as  true  to  edication  as  if  you  had  never  left  the 
settlements.  With  me  the  case  is  different,  and  I  never 
want  to  clinch  an  idee,  that  I  do  not  feel  a  wish  to  swear 
about  it.  If  you  know'd  all  that  I  know  consarning  Jud 
ith,  you'd  find  a  justification  for  a  little  cussing.  Now, 
the  officers  sometimes  stray  over  to  the  lake,  from  the  fort 
on  the  Mohawk,  to  fish  and  hunt,  and  then  the  creatur' 
seems  beside  herself!  You  can  see  it  in  the  manner  in 
which  she  wears  her  finery,  and  the  airs  she  gives  herself 
with  the  gallants. ' ' 

"That  is  unseemly  in  a  poor  man's  darter,"  returned 
Deerslayer  gravely,  "the  officers  are  all  gentry,  and  can 
only  look  on  such  as  Judith  with  evil  intentions." 

"There's  the  unsartainty,  and  the  damper!  I  have  my 
misgivings  about  a  particular  captain,  and  Jude  has  no 
one  to  blame  but  her  own  folly,  if  I'm  wrong.  On  the 
whole,  I  wish  to  look  upon  her  as  modest  and  becoming, 
and  yet  the  clouds  that  drive  among  these  hills  are  not 
more  unsartain.  Not  a  dozen  white  men  have  ever  laid 
eyes  upon  her  since  she  was  a  child,  and  yet  her  airs,  with 
two  or  three  of  these  officers,  are  extinguishers." 

"I  would  think  no  more  of  such  a  woman,  but  turn  my 
mind  altogether  to  the  forest;  that  will  not  deceive  you, 
being  ordered  and  ruled  by  a  hand  that  never  wavers." 

"If  you  know'd  Judith,  you  would  see  how  much  easier 
it  is  to  say  this  than  it  would  be  to  do  it.  Could  I  bring 
my  mind  to  be  easy  about  the  officers,  I  would  carry  the 
gal  off  to  the  Mohawk  by  force,  make  her  marry  me  in 
spite  of  her  whiffling,  and  leave  old  Tom  to  the  care  of 
Hetty,  his  other  child,  who,  if  she  be  not  as  handsome  or 
as  quick-witted  as  her  sister,  is  much  the  most  dutiful. 


12  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Is  there  another  bird  in  the  same  nest?"  asked  Deer- 
slayer,  raising  his  eyes  with  a  half-awakened  curiosity — 
"the  Delawares  spoke  to  me  only  of  one." 

,  "That's  nat'ral  enough,  when  Judith  Hutter  and  Hetty 
Hutter  are  in  question.  Hetty  is  only  comely,  while  her 
sister,  I  tell  thee,  boy,  is  such  another  as  is  not  to  be  found 
atween  this  and  the  sea;  Judith  is  as  full  of  wit,  and  talk, 
and  cunning,  as  an  old  Indian  orator,  while  poor  Hetty  is 
at  the  best  but  'compass  meant  us.'  ' 

"Anan?"  inquired  again  the  Deerslayer. 

"Why,  what  the  officers  call  'compass  meant  us,'  which 
I  understand  to  signify  that  she  means  always  to  go  in 
the  right  direction,  but  sometimes  doesn't  know  how. 
'Compass'  for  the  p'int,  and  'meant  us'  for  the  intention. 
No,  poor  Hetty  is  what  I  call  on  the  varge  of  ignorance, 
and  sometimes  she  stumbles  on  one  side  of  the  line,  and 
sometimes  on  t'other." 

"Them  are  beings  that  the  Lord  has  in  his  'special 
care,"  said  Deerslayer,  solemnly;  "for  he  looks  carefully 
to  all  who  fall  short  of  their  proper  share  of  reason.  The 
red-skins  honor  and  respect  them  who  are  so  gifted, 
knowing  that  the  Evil  Spirit  delights  more  to  dwell  in 
an  artful  body,  than  in  one  that  has  no  cunning  to  work 
upon." 

"I'll  answer  for  it,  then,  that  he  will  not  remain  long 
with  poor  Hetty;  for  the  child  is  just 'compass  meant  us,' 
as  I  have  told  you.  Old  Tom  has  a  feeling  for  the  gal, 
and  so  has  Judith,  quick-witted  and  glorious  as  she  is 
herself;  else  would  I  not  answer  for  her  being  altogether 
safe  among  the  sort  of  men  that  sometimes  meet  on  the 
lake  shore." 

"I  thought  this  water  an  onknown  and  little-frequented 
sheet, ' '  observed  the  Deerslayer,  evidently  uneasy  at  the 
idea  of  being  too  near  the  world. 

"It's  all  that,  lad,  the  eyes  of  twenty  white  men  never 
having  been  laid  on  it;  still,  twenty  true-bred  frontiers 
men — hunters,  and  trappers,  and  scouts,  and  the  like — can 
do  a  deal  of  mischief  if  they  try.  'Twould  be  an  awful 
thing  to  me,  Deerslayer,  did  I  find  Judith  married,  after 
an  absence  of  six  months!" 

"Have  you  the  gal's  faith,  to  incourage  you  t»  hope 
otherwise?" 


THE   DEERSLAYER  13 

"Not  at  all      I  know  not  how  it  is;  I'm  good-looking 
boy— that  much  I  can  see  in  any  spring  on  which  the  sun 
shines— and  yet  I  could  never  get  the  hussy  to  a  promise 
or  even  a  cordial  willing  smile,  though  she  will  laugh  by 
the  hour,      [f  she  has  dared  to  marry  in  my  absence,  she'll 
be  like  to  know  the  pleasures  of  widowhood  afore  she  is 
twenty!' 

"You  would  not  harm  the  man  she  had  chosen,  Hurry 
simply  because  she  found  him  more  to  her  liking  than 
yourself?" 

"Why  not?  If  an  inimy  crosses  my  path,  will  I  not 
beat  him  out  of  it!  Look  at  me!  am  I  a  man  like  to  let 
any  sneaking,  crawling,  skin-trader  get  the  better  of  me  in 
a  matter  that  touches  me  as  near  as  the  kindness  of  Judith 
Hutter?  Besides,  when  we  live  beyond  law,  we  must  be 
our  own  judges  and  executioners.  And  if  a  man  should 
be  found  dead  in  the  woods,  who  is  there  to  say  who  slew 
him  even  admitting  that  the  colony  took  the  matter  in 
hand  and  made  a  stir  about  it?" 

"If  that  man  should  be  Judith  Hutter's  husband,  after 
what  has  passed,  I  might  tell  enough,  at  least  to  put  the 
colony  on  the  trail." 

"You! — half-grown,  venison-hunting  bantling!  You 
dare  to  think  of  informing  against  Hurry  Harry  in  so 
much  as  a  matter  touching  a  mink  or  a  woodchuck!" 

"I  would  dare  to  speak  truth,  Hurry,  consarning  you 
or  any  man  that  ever  lived." 

March  looked  at  his  companion,  for  a  moment,  in  silent 
amazement;  then  seizing  him  by  the  throat  with  both 
hands,  he  shook  his  comparatively  slight  frame  with  a 
violence  that  menaced  the  dislocation  of  some  of  the  bones. 
Nor  was  this  done  jocularly,  for  anger  flashed  from  the 
giant's  eyes,  and  there  were  certain  signs  that  seemed  to 
threaten  much  more  earnestness  than  the  occasion  would 
appear  to  call  for.  Whatever  might  be  the  real  intention 
of  March,  and  it  is  probable  there  was  none  settled  in  his 
mind,  it  is  certain  that  he  was  unusually  aroused;  and 
most  men  who  found  themselves  throttled  by  one  of  a 
mould  so  gigantic,  in  such  a  mood,  and  in  a  solitude  so 
deep  and  helpless,  would  have  felt  intimidated,  and 
tempted  to  yield  even  the  right.  Not  so,  however,  with 


14  THE   DEERSLAYER 

Deerslayer.  His  countenance  remained  unmoved;  his  hand 
did  not  shake,  and  his  answer  was  given  in  a  voice  that 
did  not  resort  to  the  artifice  of  louder  tones,  even  by  way 
of  proving  its  owner's  resolution. 

"You  may  shake,  Hurry,  until  you  bring  down  the 
mountain,"  he  said  quietly,  "but  nothing  beside  truth 
will  you  shake  from  me.  It  is  probable  that  Judith  Hutter 
has  no  husband  to  slay,  and  you  may  never  have  a  chance 
to  waylay  one,  else  would  I  tell  her  of  your  threat,  in  the 
first  conversation  I  held  with  the  gal." 

March  released  his  grip,  and  sat  regarding  the  other 
in  silent  astonishment. 

"I  thought  we  had  been  friends,"  he  at  length  added; 
"but  you've  got  the  last  secret  of  mine  that  will  ever 
enter  your  ears. ' ' 

"I  want  none,  if  they  are  to  be  like  this.  I  know  we 
live  in  the  woods,  Hurry,  and  are  thought  to  be  beyond 
human  laws — and  perhaps  we  are  so,  in  fact,  whatever  it 
may  be  in  right — but  there  is  a  law,  and  a  law-maker, 
that  rule  across  the  whole  continent.  He  that  flies  in  the 
face  of  either  need  not  call  me  fri'nd." 

"Damme,  Deerslayer,  if  I  do  not  believe  you  are  at 
heart  a  Moravian,  and  no  fair-minded,  plain-dealing 
hunter,  as  you've  pretended  to  be!" 

"Fair-minded  or  not,  Hurry,  you  will  find  me  as  plain- 
dealing  in  deeds  as  I  am  in  words.  But  this  giving  way 
to  sudden  anger  is  foolish,  and  proves  how  little  you  have 
sojourned  with  the  red  man.  Judith  Hutter  no  doubt  is 
still  single,  and  you  spoke  but  as  the  tongue  ran,  and  not 
as  the  heart  felt.  There's  my  hand,  and  we  will  say  and 
think  no  more  about  it. ' ' 

Hurry  seemed  more  surprised  than  ever;  then  he  burst 
forth  in  a  loud,  good-natured  laugh,  which  brought  tears 
to  his  eyes.  After  this  he  accepted  the  offered  hand,  and 
the  parties  became  friends. 

'  'Twould  have  been  foolish  to  quarrel  about  an  idee," 
March  cried,  as  he  resumed  his  meal,  "and  more  like 
lawyers  in  the  towns  than  like  sensible  men  in  the  woods. 
They  tell  me,  Deerslayer,  much  ill-blood  grows  out  of 
idees  among  the  people  in  the  lower  counties,  and  that 
they  sometimes  get  to  extremities  upon  them." 


15 

"That  do  they — that  do  they;  and  about  other  matters 
that  might  be  left  to  take  care  of  themselves.  I  have 
heard  the  Moravians  say  that  there  are  lands  in  which 
men  quarrel  even  consarning  their  religion;  and  if  they 
can  get  their  tempers  up  on  such  a  subject,  Hurry,  the 
Lord  have  mercy  on  'em.  Howsever,  there  is  no  occasion 
for  our  following  their  example,  and  more  especially 
about  a  husband  that  this  Judith  Hutter  may  never  see, 
or  never  wish  to  see.  For  my  part,  I  feel  more  cu'rosity 
about  the  feeble-witted  sister  than  about  your  beauty. 
There's  something  that  comes  close  to  a  man's  feelin's, 
when  he  meets  with  a  fellow  creatur'  that  has  all  the 
outward  show  of  an  accountable  mortal,  and  who  fails  of 
being  what  he  seems,  only  through  a  lack  of  reason.  This 
is  bad  enough  in  a  man,  but  when  it  comes  to  a  woman, 
and  she  a  young,  and  maybe  a  winning  creatur',  it  touches 
all  the  pitiful  thoughts  his  natur'  has.  God  knows,  Hurry, 
that  such  poor  things  be  defenseless  enough  with  all  their 
wits  about  'em;  but  it's  a  cruel  fortun'  when  that  great 
protector  and  guide  fails  'em." 

"Harkee,  Deerslayer — you  know  what  the  hunters,  and 
trappers,  and  peltry-men  in  general  be;  and  their  best 
friends  will  not  deny  that  they  are  headstrong  and  given 
to  having  their  own  way,  without  much  bethinking  'em  of 
other  people's  rights  or  feelin's — and  yet  I  don't  think  the 
man  is  to  be  found,  in  all  this  region,  who  would  harm 
Hetty  Hutter,  if  he  could;  no,  not  even  a  red-skin." 

"Therein,  fri'nd  Hurry,  you  do  the  Delawares,  at  least, 
and  all  their  allied  tribes,  only  justice,  for  a  red-skin 
looks  upon  a  being  thus  struck  by  God's  power  as  espe 
cially  under  his  care.  I  rejoice  to  hear  what  you  say, 
howsever,  I  rejoice  to  hear  it;  but  as  the  sun  is  beginning 
to  turn  towards  the  a'ternoon's  sky,  had  we  not  better  I 
strike  the  trail  ag'in,  and  make  forward,  that  we  may  get 
an  opportunity  of  seeing  these  wonderful  sisters?" 

Harry  March  giving  a  cheerful  assent,  the  remnants  of 
the  meal  were  soon  collected;  then  the  travelers  shouldered 
their  packs,  resumed  their  arms,  and,  quitting  the  little 
area  of  light,  they  again  plunged  into  the  deep  shadows  of 
the  forest. 


CHAPTER  II 

"Thou'rt  passing  from  the  lake's  green  side, 

And  the  hunter's  hearth  away  ; 
For  the  time  of  flowers,  for  the  summer's  pride, 
Daughter  !  thou  canst  not  stay.  " 

—RECORDS  OF  WOMEN. 

OUR  two  adventurers  had  not  far  to  go.  Hurry  knew 
the  direction,  as  soon  as  he  had  found  the  open  spot  and 
the  spring,  and  he  now  led  on  with  the  confident  step  of 
a  man  assured  of  his  object.  The  forest  was  dark,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  but  it  was  no  longer  obstructed  by 
underbrush,  and  the  footing  was  firm  and  dry.  After 
proceeding  near  a  mile,  March  stopped,  and  began  to  cast 
about  him  with  an  inquiring  look,  examining  the  different 
objects  with  care,  and  occasionally  turning  his  eyes  on  the 
trunks  of  the  fallen  trees,  with  which  the  ground  was 
well  sprinkled,  as  is  usually  the  case  in  an  American 
wood,  especially  in  those  parts  of  the  country  where 
timber  has  not  yet  become  valuable. 

"This  must  be  the  place,  Deerslayer,"  March  at  length 
observed;  "here  is  a  beech  by  the  side  or'  a  hemlock,  with 
three  pines  at  hand,  and  yonder  is  a  white  birch  with  a 
broken  top ;  and  yet  I  see  no  rock,  nor  any  of  the  branches 
bent  down,  as  I  told  you  would  be  the  case." 

"Broken  branches  are  onskilful  landmarks,  as  the  least 
exper'enced  know  that  branches  don't  often  break  of 
themselves,"  returned  the  other;  "and  they  also  lead  to 
suspicion  and  discoveries.  The  Delawares  never  trust  to 
broken  branches,  unless  it  is  in  friendly  times,  and  on  an 
open  trail.  As  for  the  beeches,  and  pines,  and  hemlocks, 
why,  they  are  to  be  seen  on  all  sides  of  us,  not  only  by 
twos  and  threes,  but  by  forties,  and  fifties,  and  hundreds. ' ' 

"Very  true,  Deerslayer,  but  you  never  calculate  on 
position.  Here  is  a  beech  and  a  hemlock — 

"Yes,  and  there  is  another  beech  and  a  hemlock,  as 
loving  as  two  brothers,  or,  for  that  matter,  more  loving 

16 


THE   DEERSLAYER  17 

than  some  brothers;  and  yonder  are  others,  for  neither 
tree  is  a  rarity  in  these  woods.  I  fear  me,  Hurry  you 
are  better  at  trapping  beaver  and  shooting  bears  than  at 
leading  on  a  blindish  sort  of  a  trail.  Ha!  there's  what 
you  wish  to  find,  a'ter  all!" 

"Now,  Deerslayer,  this  is  one  of  your  Delaware  pre 
tensions,  for  hang  me  if  I  see  anything  but  these  trees, 
which  do  seem  to  start  up  around  us  in  a  most  onaccount- 
able  and  perplexing  manner." 

"Look  this-a-way,  Hurry— here,  in  a  line  with  the  black 
oak — don't  you  see  the  crooked  sapling  that  is  hooked  up 
in  the  branches  of  the  bass-wood,  near  it?  Now,  that 
sapling  was  once  snow-ridden,  and  got  the  bend  by  its 
weight;  but  it  never  straightened  itself,  and  fastened 
itself  in  among  the  bass-wood  branches  in  the  way  you 
see.  The  hand  of  man  did  that  act  of  kindness  for  it." 

"That  hand  was  mine!"  exclaimed  Hurry;  "I  found 
the  slender  young  thing  bent  to  the  airth,  like  an  unfor 
tunate  creatur'  borne  down  by  misfortune,  and  stuck  it 
up  where  you  see  it.  After  all,  Deerslayer,  I  must  allow, 
you're  getting  to  have  an  oncommon  good  eye  for  the 
woods ! ' ' 

"  'Tis  improving,  Hurry — 'tis  improving,  I  will  ac 
knowledge;  but  'tis  only  a  child's  eye,  compared  to  some 
I  know.  There's  Tamenund,  now,  though  a  man  so  old 
that  few  remember  when  he  was  in  his  prime,  Tamenund 
lets  nothing  escape  his  look,  which  is  more  like  the  scent 
of  a  hound  than  the  sight  of  an  eye.  Then  Uncas,1  the 
father  of  Chingachgook  and  the  lawful  chief  of  the  Mohi 
cans,  is  another  that  it  is  almost  hopeless  to  pass  unseen. 
I'm  improving,  I  will  allow — I'm  improving,  but  far  from 
being  perfect,  as  yet." 

"And  who  is  this  Chingachgook,  of  whom  you  talk  so 
much,  Deerslayer?"  asked  Hurry,  as  he  moved  off  in  the 
direction  of  the  righted  sapling;  "a  loping  red-skin,  at 
the  best,  I  make  no  question." 

"Not  so,  Hurry,  but  the  best  of  loping  red-skins,  as  you 
call  'em.  If  he  had  his  rights,  he  would  be  a  great  chief; 

1  Lest  the  similarity  of  the  names  sTiould  produce  confusion,  it  may  be  well  to 
say  that  the  Uncas  here  mentioned  is  the  grandfather  of  him  who  plays  so  con 
spicuous  a  part  in  "The  Last  of  the  Mohicans." 

2 


18  THE   DEERSLAYER 

but,  as  it  is,  he  is  only  a  brave  and  just-minded  Delaware; 
respected,  and  even  obeyed  in  some  things,  'tis  true,  but 
of  a  fallen  race,  and  belonging  to  a  fallen  people.  Ah! 
Harry  March,  'twould  warm  the  heart  within  you  to  sit 
in  their  lodges  of  a  winter's  night,  and  listen  to  the 
traditions  of  the  ancient  greatness  and  power  of  the 
Mohicans!" 

"Harkee,  fri'nd  Nathaniel,"  said  Hurry,  stopping  short 
to  face  his  companion,  in  order  that  his  words  might  carry 
greater  weight  with  them,  "if  a  man  believed  all  that 
other  people  choose  to  say  in  their  own  favor,  he  might 
get  an  oversized  opinion  of  them,  and  an  undersized 
opinion  of  himself.  These  red-skins  are  notable  boasters, 
and  I  set  down  more  than  half  of  their  traditions  as  pure 
talk." 

"There  is  truth  in  what  you  say,  Hurry,  I'll  not  deny 
it,  for  I've  seen  it,  and  believe  it.  They  do  boast,  but 
then  that  is  a  gift  from  natur' ;  and  it's  sinful  to  with 
stand  nat'ral  gifts.  See;  this  is  the  spot  you  come  to 
find!" 

This  remark  cut  short  the  discourse,  and  both  the  men 
now  gave  all  their  attention  to  the  object  immediately 
before  them.  Deerslayer  pointed  out  to  his  companion 
the  trunk  of  a  huge  linden,  or  bass-wood,  as  it  is  termed 
in  the  language  of  the  country,  which  had  filled  its  time, 
and  fallen  by  its  own  weight.  This  tree,  like  so  many 
millions  of  its  brethren,  lay  where  it  had  fallen,  and  was 
mouldering  under  the  slow  but  certain  influence  of  the 
seasons.  The  decay,  however,  had  attacked  its  center, 
even  while  it  stood  erect  in  the  pride  of  vegetation, 
hollowing  out  its  heart,  as  disease  sometimes  destroys  the 
vitals  of  animal  life,  even  while  a  fair  exterior  is  pre 
sented  to  the  observer.  As  the  trunk  lay  stretched  for 
near  a  hundred  feet  along  the  earth,  the  quick  eye  of  the 
hunter  detected  this  peculiarity,  and,  from  this  and  other 
circumstances,  he  knew  it  to  be  the  tree  of  which  March 
was  in  search. 

'  'Ay,  here  we  have  what  we  want, ' '  cried  Hurry,  look 
ing  in  at  the  larger  end  of  the  linden;  "everything  is  as 
snug  as  if  it  had  been  left  in  an  old  woman's  cupboard. 
Come,  lend  me  a  hand,  Deerslayer,  and  we'll  be  afloat  in 
half  an  hour." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  19 

At  this  call  the  hunter  joined  his  companion,  and  the 
two  went  to  work  deliberately  and  regularly,  like  men 
accustomed  to  the  sort  of  thing  in  which  they  were  em 
ployed.  In  the  first  place,  Hurry  removed  some  pieces  of 
bark  that  lay  before  the  large  opening  in  the  tree,  and 
which  the  other  declared  to  be  disposed  in  a  way  that 
would  have  been  more  likely  to  attract  attention  than  to 
conceal  the  cover,  had  any  straggler  passed  that  way.  The 
two  then  drew  out  a  bark  canoe,  containing  its  seats, 
paddles,  and  other  appliances,  even  to  fishing  lines  and 
rods.  This  vessel  was  by  no  means  small ;  but  such  was 
its  comparative  lightness,  and  so  gigantic  was  the  strength 
of  Hurry,  that  the  latter  shouldered  it  with  seeming  ease, 
declining  all  assistance,  even  in  the  act  of  raising  it  to 
the  awkward  position  in  which  he  was  obliged  to  hold  it. 

"Lead  ahead,  Deerslayer, "  said  March,  "and  open  the 
bushes ;  the  rest  I  can  do  for  myself. ' ' 

The  other  obeyed,  and  the  men  left  the  spot,  Deerslayer 
clearing  the  way  for  his  companion,  and  inclining  to  the 
right  or  to  the  left,  as  the  latter  directed.  In  about  ten 
minutes  they  both  broke  suddenly  into  the  brilliant  light 
of  the  sun,  on  a  low  gravelly  point,  that  was  washed  by 
water  on  quite  half  its  outline. 

An  exclamation  of  surprise  broke  from  the  lips  of 
Deerslayer,  an  exclamation  that  was  low  and  guardedly 
made,  however,  for  his  habits  were  much  more  thoughtful 
and  regulated  than  those  of  the  reckless  Hurry,  when,  on 
reaching  the  margin  of  the  lake,  he  beheld  the  view  that 
unexpectedly  met  his  gaze.  It  was,  in  truth,  sufficiently 
striking  to  merit  a  brief  description.  On  a  level  with  the 
point  lay  a  broad  sheet  of  water,  so  placid  and  limpid  that 
it  resembled  a  bed  of  the  pure  mountain  atmosphere, 
compressed  into  a  setting  of  hills  and  woods.  Its  length 
was  about  three  leagues,  while  its  breadth  was  irregular, 
expanding  to  half  a  league,  or  even  more,  opposite  to  the 
point,  and  contracting  to  less  than  half  that  distance, 
more  to  the  southward.  Of  course,  its  margin  was  irreg 
ular,  being  indented  by  bays,  and  broken  by  many  pro 
jecting,  low  points.  At  its  northern,  or  nearest  end,  it 
was  bounded  by  an  isolated  mountain,  lower  land  falling 
off  east  and  west,  gracefully  relieving  the  sweep  of  the 


20  THE   DEERSLAYER 

outline.  Still  the  character  of  the  country  was  mountain 
ous;  high  hills,  or  low  mountains,  rising  abruptly  frorr 
the  water,  on  quite  nine-tenths  of  its  circuit.  The  excep 
tions,  indeed,  only  served  a  little  to  vary  the  scene;  and 
even  beyond  the  parts  of  the  shore  that  were  compara 
tively  low,  the  background  was  high,  though  more  distant, 

But  the  most  striking  peculiarities  of  this  scene  were 
its  solemn  solitude  and  sweet  repose.  On  all  sides,  where- 
ever  the  eye  turned,  nothing  met  it  but  the  mirror-like 
surface  of  the  lake,  the  placid  view  of  heaven,  and  the 
dense  setting  of  woods.  So  rich  and  fleecy  were  the  out 
lines  of  the  forest,  that  scarce  an  opening  could  be  seen, 
the  whole  visible  earth,  from  the  rounded  mountain-toj 
to  the  water's  edge,  presenting  one  unvaried  hue  o1 
unbroken  verdure.  As  if  vegetation  were  not  satisfiec 
with  a  triumph  so  complete,  the  trees  overhung  the  lake 
itself,  shooting  out  towards  the  light;  and  there  were 
miles  along  its  eastern  shore,  where  a  boat  might  have 
pulled  beneath  the  branches  of  dark  Rembrandt-lookinj 
hemlocks,1  "quivering  aspens,"  and  melancholy  pines.  Ir 
a  word  the  hand  of  man  had  never  yet  defaced  or  def ormec 
any  part  of  this  native  scene,  which  lay  bathed  in  th( 
sunlight,  a  glorious  picture  of  affluent  forest  grandeur 
softened  by  the  balminess  of  June,  and  relieved  by  th< 
beautiful  variety  afforded  by  the  presence  of  so  broad  ar 
expanse  of  water. 

"This  is  grand! — 'tis  solemn! — 'tis  an  edication  o: 
itself,  to  look  upon!"  exclaimed  Deerslayer,  as  he  stooc 
leaning  on  his  rifle,  and  gazing  to  the  right  and  left 
north  and  south,  above  and  beneath,  in  whichever  direc 
tion  his  eye  could  wander;  "not  a  tree  disturbed  even  b? 
red-skin  hand,  as  I  can  discover,  but  everything  left  ii 
the  ordering  of  the  Lord,  to  live  and  die  according  to  hi: 

1  "It  is  a  curious  property  of  the  hemlock,  that  a  single  stroke  from  an  ax  i 
sufficient  to  destroy  it,  from  which  it  has  been  called  the  tree  of  sensibility,  or 
as  the  woodman  says,  'the  most  sensible  tree  of  the  forest.'  It  does  not  immedi 
ately  perish  from  the  wound,  but  languishes  and  never  revives.  I  have  mysel 
observed  that  where  a  hemlock  has  been  merely  marked  as  a  line  tree,  and  th< 
bark  only  cut  through  at  one  spot,  at  the  end  of  fifteen  years  it  is  sure  to  b 
found  dead.  So  when  they  happen  to  stand  by  the  roadside,  and  are  liable  to  b 
fretted  and  disturbed  by  cart-hubs,  they  perish  in  a  few  years.  No  ashes  ar 
produced  from  this  tree,  other  than  an  apparently  sandy  sediment,  except  fror 
its  bark,  which,  when  burned  separately,  produces  the  best  of  ashes."— From  < 
Letter  of  Judge  Cooper,  1805-6. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  21 

own  designs  and 'laws!  Hurry,  your  Judith  ought  to  be 
a  moral  and  well-disposed  young  woman,  if  she  has  passed 
half  the  time  you  mention  in  the  center  of  a  spot  so 
favored." 

"That's  a  naked  truth;  and  yet  the  gal  has  the  vagaries. 
All  her  time  has  not  been  passed  here,  howsever,  old  Tom 
having  the  custom,  afore  I  know'd  him,  of  going  to  spend 
the  winters  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  settlers,  or  under 
the  guns  of  the  forts.  No,  no,  Jude  has  caught  more  than 
is  for  her  good  from  the  settlers,  and  especially  from  the 
gallantifying  officers. ' ' 

"If  she  has — if  she  has,  Hurry,  this  is  a  school  to  set 
her  mind  right  ag'in.  But  what  is  this  I  see  off  here, 
abreast  of  us,  that  seems  too  small  for  an  island,  and  too 
large  for  a  boat,  though  it  stands  in  the  midst  of  the 
water?" 

"Why,  that  is  what  these  gallanting  gentry,  from  the 
forts,  call  Muskrat  Castle;  and  old  Tom  himself  will  grin 
at  the  name,  though  it  bears  so  hard  on  his  own  natur' 
and  character.  'Tis  the  stationary  house,  there  being 
two;  this,  which  never  moves,  and  the  other,  that  floats, 
being  sometimes  in  one  part  of  the  lake  and  sometimes  in 
another.  The  last  goes  by  the  name  of  the  ark,  though 
what  may  be  the  meaning  of  the  word  is  more  than  I  can 
tell  you." 

"It  must  come  from  the  missionaries,  Hurry,  whom  I 
have  heard  speak  and  read  of  such  a  thing.  They  say  that 
the  'arth  was  once  covered  with  water,  and  that  Noah, 
with  his  children,  was  saved  from  drowning  by  building 
a  vessel  called  an  ark,  in  which  he  embarked  in  season. 
Some  of  the  Delawares  believe  this  tradition,  and  some 
deny  it;  but  it  behooves  you  and  me,  as  white  men  born, 
to  put  our  faith  in  its  truth.  Do  you  see  anything  of  this 
ark?" 

"  'Tis  down  south,  no  doubt,  or  anchored  in  some  of 
the  bays.  But  the  canoe  is  ready,  and  fifteen  minutes 
will  carry  two  such  paddles  as  your'n  and  mine  to  the 
castle." 

At  this  suggestion,  Deerslayer  helped  his  companion  to 
place  the  different  articles  in  the  canoe,  which  was  already 
afloat.  This  was  no  sooner  done  than  the  two  frontiersmen 


22  THE   DEERSLAYER 

embarked,  and  by  a  vigorous  push  sent  the  light  bar 
some  eight  or  ten  rods  from  the  shore.  Hurry  now  too 
the  seat  in  the  stern,  while  Deerslayer  placed  himse] 
forward,  and  by  leisurely  but  steady  strokes  of  the  paddle 
the  canoe  glided  across  the  placid  sheet,  towards  the  ex 
traordinary-looking  structure  that  the  former  had  style 
Muskrat  Castle.  Several  times  the  men  ceased  paddling 
and  looked  about  them  at  the  scene,  as  new  glimpse 
opened  from  behind  points,  enabling  them  to  see  furthe 
down  the  lake,  or  to  get  broader  views  of  the  woode 
mountains.  The  only  changes,  however,  were  in  the  nei 
forms  of  the  hills,  the  varying  curvature  of  the  bays,  an 
the  wider  reaches  of  the  valley  south;  the  whole  eart 
apparently  being  clothed  in  a  gala  dress  of  leaves. 

"This  is  a  sight  to  warm  the  heart!"  exclaimed  Deer 
slayer,  when  they  had  thus  stopped  for  the  fourth  or  fift 
time;  "the  lake  seems  made  to  let  us  get  an  insight  int 
the  noble  forests;  and  land  and  water  alike  stand  in  th 
beauty  of  God's  providence!  Do  you  say,  Hurry,  tha 
.there  is  no  man  who  calls  himself  lawful  owner  of  a' 
these  glories?" 

"None  but  the  king,  lad.  He  may  pretend  to  som 
right  of  that  natur',  but  he  is  so  far  away  that  his  clair 
will  never  trouble  old  Tom  Hutter,  who  has  got  possessior 
and  is  like  to  keep  it  as  long  as  his  life  lasts.  Tom  is  n 
squatter,  not  being  on  land;  I  call  him  a  floater." 

"I  invy  that  man!  I  know  it's  wrong,  and  I  striv 
ag'in  the  feelin',  but  I  invy  that  man!  Don't  think 
Hurry,  that  I'm  consarting  any  plan  to  put  myself  in  hi 
moccasins,  for  such  a  thought  doesn't  harbor  in  my  mind 
but  I  can't  help  a  little  invy!  'Tis  a  nat'ral  feelin',  an 
the  best  of  us  are  but  nat'ral,  a'ter  all,  and  give  way  t 
such  feelin's  at  times." 

"You've  only  to  marry  Hetty  to  inherit  half  the  estate, ' 
cried  Hurry,  laughing;  "the  gal  is  comely;  nay,  if  i 
wasn't  for  her  sister's  beauty  she  would  be  even  handsome 
and  then  her  wits  are  so  small  that  you  may  easily  convar 
her  into  one  of  your  own  way  of  thinking,  in  all  things 
Do  you  take  Hetty  off  the  old  fellow's  hands,  and  I' 
engage  he'll  give  you  an  interest  in  every  deer  you  ca 
knock  over  within  five  miles  of  his  lake." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  23 

"Does  game  abound?"  suddenly  demanded  the  other 
who  paid  but  little  attention  to  March's  raillery. 

''It  has  the  country  to  itself.  Scarce  a  trigger  is  pulled 
on  it;  and  as  for  the  trappers,  this  is  not  a  region  they 
greatly  frequent.  I  ought  not  to  be  so  much  here  myself, 
but  Jude  pulls  one  way,  while  the  beaver  pulls  another! 
More  than  a  hundred  Spanish  dollars  has  that  creatur' 
cost  me  the  last  two  seasons,  and  yet  I  could  not  forego 
the  wish  to  look  upon  her  face  once  more." 

"Do  the  red  men  often  visit  this  lake,  Hurry?"  con 
tinued  Deerslayer,  pursuing  his  own  train  of  thought. 

"Why,  they  come  and  go;  sometimes  in  parties,  and 
sometimes  singly.  The  country  seems  to  belong  to  no 
native  tribe  in  particular;  and  so  it  has  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  Hutter  tribe.  The  old  man  tells  me  that 
some  sharp  ones  have  been  wheedling  the  Mohawks  for  an 
Indian  deed,  in  order  to  get  a  title  out  of  the  colony;  but 
nothing  has  come  of  it,  seeing  that  no  one  heavy  enough 
for  such  a  trade  has  yet  meddled  with  the  matter.  The 
hunters  have  a  good  lifelease  still  of  this  wilderness." 

"So  much  the  better,  so  much  the  better,  Hurry.  If  I 
was  King  of  England,  the  man  that  felled  one  of  these 
trees  without  good  occasion  for  the  timber,  should  be 
banished  to  a  desarted  and  forlorn  region,  in  which  no 
fourfooted  animal  ever  trod.  Right  glad  am  I  that  Chin- 
gachgook  app'inted  our  meeting  on  this  lake,  for  hitherto 
eyes  of  mine  never  looked  on  such  a  glorious  spectacle." 

"That's  because  you've  kept  so  much  among  the  Dela- 
wares,  in  whose  country  there  are  no  lakes.  Now,  farther 
north  and  farther  west  these  bits  of  water  abound;  and 
you're  young,  and  may  yet  live  to  see  'em.  But  though 
there  be  other  lakes,  Deerslayer,  there's  no  other  Judith 
Hutter!" 

At  this  remark  his  companion  smiled,  and  then  he 
dropped  his  paddle  into  the  water,  as  if  in  consideration 
of  a  lover's  haste.  Both  now  pulled  vigorously  until  they 
got  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  "castle,"  as  Hurry 
familiarly  called  the  house  of  Hutter,  when  they  again 
ceased  paddling;  the  admirer  of  Judith  restraining  his 
impatience  the  more  readily,  as  he  perceived  that  the 
building  was  untenanted,  at  the  moment.  This  new  pause 


24  THE   DEERSLAYER 

was  to  enable  Deerslayer  to  survey  the  singular  edifice, 
which  was  of  a  construction  so  novel  as  to  merit  a  partic 
ular  description. 

Muskrat  Castle,  as  the  house  had  been  facetiously  named 
by  some  waggish  officer,  stood  in  the  open  lake,  at  a  dis 
tance  of  fully  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  nearest  shore. 
On  every  other  side  the  water  extended  much  further,  the 
precise  position  being  distant  about  two  miles  from  the 
northern  end  of  the  sheet,  and  near,  if  not  quite,  a  mile 
from  its  nearest  shore.  As  there  was  not  the  smallest 
appearance  of  any  island,  but  the  house  stood  on  piles, 
with  the  water  flowing  beneath  it,  and  Deerslayer  had 
already  discovered  that  the  lake  was  of  a  great  depth,  he 
was  fain  to  ask  an  explanation  of  this  singular  circum 
stance.  Hurry  solved  the  difficulty  by  telling  him  that 
on  this  spot  alone,  a  long,  narrow  shoal,  which  extended 
for  a  few  hundred  yards  in  a  north  and  south  direction, 
rose  within  six  or  eight  feet  of  the  surface  of  the  lake, 
and  that  Hutter  had  driven  piles  into  it,  and  placed  his 
habitation  on  them,  for  the  purpose  of  security. 

"The  old  fellow  was  burnt  out  three  times,  atween  the 
Indians  and  the  hunters;  and  in  one  affray  with  the  red 
skins  he  lost  his  only  son,  since  which  time  he  has  taken 
to  the  water  for  safety.  No  one  can  attack  him  here, 
without  coming  in  a  boat,  and  the  plunder  and  scalps 
would  scarce  be  worth  the  trouble  of  digging  out  canoes. 
Then  it's  by  no  means  sartain  which  would  whip  in  such 
a  scrimmage,  for  old  Tom  is  well  supplied  with  arms  and 
ammunition,  and  the  castle,  as  you  may  see,  is  a  tight 
breastwork  ag'in  light  shot." 

Deerslayer  had  some  theoretical  knowledge  of  frontier 
warfare,  though  he  had  never  yet  been  called  on  to  raise 
his  hand  in  anger  against  a  fellow-creature.  He  saw  that 
Hurry  did  not  overrate  the  strength  of  this  position  in  a 
military  point  of  view,  since  it  would  not  be  easy  to 
attack  it  without  exposing  the  assailants  to  the  fire  of  the 
besieged.  A  good  deal  of  art  had  also  been  manifested 
in  the  disposition  of  the  timber  of  which  the  building 
was  constructed,  and  which  afforded  a  protection  much 
greater  than  was  usual  to  the  ordinary  log-cabins  of  the 
frontier.  The  sides  and  ends  were  composed  of  the  trunks 


THE   DEERSLAYER  25 

of  large  pires,  cut  about  nine  feet  long,  and  placed  up 
right,  instead  of  being  laid  horizontally,  as  was  the 
practise  of  the  country.  These  logs  were  squared  on 
three  sides,  and  had  large  tenons  on  each  end.  Massive 
sills  were  secured  on  the  heads  of  the  piles,  with  suitable 
grooves  dug  out  of  their  upper  surfaces,  which  had  been 
squared  for  the  purpose,  and  the  lower  tenons  of  the 
upright  pieces  were  placed  in  these  grooves,  giving  them 
a  secure  fastening  below.  Plates  had  been  laid  on  the 
upper  ends  of  the  upright  logs,  and  were  kept  in  their 
places  by  a  similar  contrivance;  the  several  corners  of  the 
structure  being  well  fastened  by  scarfing  and  pinning  the 
sills  and  plates.  The  floors  were  made  of  smaller  logs, 
similarly  squared,  and  the  roof  was  composed  of  light 
poles,  firmly  united,  and  well  covered  with  bark.  The 
effect  of  this  ingenious  arrangement  was  to  give  its  owner 
a  house  that  could  be  approached  only  by  water,  the  sides 
of  which  were  composed  of  logs  closely  wedged  together, 
which  were  two  feet  thick  in  their  thinnest  parts,  and 
which  could  be  separated  only  by  a  deliberate  and  labori 
ous  use  of  human  hands,  or  by  the  slow  operation  of  time. 
The  outer  surface  of  the  building  was  rude  and  uneven, 
the  logs  being  of  unequal  sizes;  but  the  squared  surfaces 
within  gave  both  the  sides  and  floor  as  uniform  an  appear 
ance  as  was  desired,  either  for  use  or  show.  The  chimney 
was  not  the  least  singular  portion  of  the  castle,  as  Hurry 
made  his  companion  observe,  while  he  explained  the 
process  by  which  it  had  been  made.  The  material  was  a 
stiff  clay,  properly  worked,  which  had  been  put  together 
in  a  mold  of  sticks,  and  suffered  to  harden,  a  foot  or  tvro 
at  a  time,  commencing  at  the  bottom.  When  the  entire 
chimney  had  thus  been  raised,  and  had  been  properly 
bound  in  with  outward  props,  a  brisk  fire  was  kindled, 
and  kept  going  until  it  was  burned  to  something  like  a 
brick-red.  This  had  not  been  an  easy  operation,  nor  had 
it  succeeded  entirely;  but  by  dint  of  filling  the  cracks 
with  fresh  clay,  a  safe  fire-place  and  chimney  had  been 
obtained  in  the  end.  This  part  of  the  work  stood  on  the 
log-floor,  secured  beneath  by  an  extra  pile.  There  were 
a  few  other  peculiarities  about  this  dwelling,  which  will 
better  appear  in  the  course  of  the  narrative. 


26  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Old  Tom  is  full  of  contrivances,"  added  Hurry,  "and 
he  set  his  heart  on  the  success  of  his  chimney,  which 
threatened  more  than  once  to  give  out  altogether;  but 
parse verance  will  even  overcome  smoke;  and  now  he  has 
a  comfortable  cabin  of  it,  though  it  did  promise,  at  one 
time,  to  be  a  chinky  sort  of  a  flue  to  carry  flames  and 
fire." 

"You  seem  to  know  the  whole  history  of  the  castle, 
Hurry,  chimney  and  sides,"  said  Deerslayer,  smiling;  "is 
love  so  overcoming  that  it  causes  a  man  to  study  the  story 
of  his  sweetheart's  habitation?" 

"Partly  that,  lad,  and  partly  eyesight,"  returned  the 
good-natured  giant,  laughing;  "there  was  a  large  gang  of 
us,  in  at  the  lake,  the  summer  the  old  fellow  built,  and 
we  helped  him  along  with  the  job.  I  raised  no  small  part 
of  the  weight  of  them  uprights  with  my  own  shoulders, 
and  the  axes  flew,  I  can  inform  you,  Master  Natty,  while 
we  were  beeing  it  among  the  trees  ashore.  The  old  devil 
is  no  way  stingy  about  food,  and  as  we  had  often  eat  at 
his  hearth,  we  thought  we  would  just  house  him  comfort 
ably,  afore  we  went  to  Albany  with  our  skins.  Yes,  many 
is  the  meal  I've  swallowed  in  Tom  Hutter's  cabins;  and 
Hetty,  though  so  weak  in  the  way  of  wits,  has  a  wonderful 
particular  way  about  a  fryingpan  or  a  gridiron!" 

While  the  parties  were  thus  discoursing,  the  canoe 
had  been  gradually  drawing  nearer  to  the  "castle,"  and 
was  now  so  close  as  to  require  but  a  single  stroke  of  a 
paddle  to  reach  the  landing.  This  was  at  a  floored  plat 
form  in  front  of  the  entrance,  that  might  have  been  some 
twenty  feet  square. 

"Old  Tom  calls  this  sort  of  a  wharf  his  door-yard," 
observed  Hurry,  as  he  fastened  the  canoe  after  he  and  his 
companion  had  left  it;  "and  the  gallants  from  the  forts 
have  named  it  the  'castle  court,'  though  what  a  'court' 
can  have  to  do  here  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you,  seeing 
that  there  is  no  law.  'Tis  as  I  supposed;  not  a  soul 
within,  but  the  whole  family  is  off  on  a  v'y'ge  of  dis 
covery  ! ' ' 

While  Hurry  was  bustling  about  the  "door-yard,"  ex 
amining  the  fishing-spears,  rods,  nets,  and  other  similar 
appliances  of  a  frontier  cabin,  Deerslayer,  whose  manner 


THE   DEERSLAYER  27 

was  altogether  more  rebuked  and  quiet,  entered  the 
building,  with  a  curiosity  that  was  not  usually  exhibited 
by  one  so  long  trained  in  Indian  habits.  The  interior  of 
the  "castle"  was  as  faultlessly  neat  as  its  exterior  was 
novel.  ^  The  entire  space,  some  twenty  feet  by  forty,  was 
subdivided  into  several  small  sleeping- rooms;  the  apart 
ment  into  which  he  first  entered,  serving  equally  for  the 
ordinary  uses  of  its  inmates,  and  for  a  kitchen.  The 
furniture  was  of  the  strange  mixture  that  it  is  not  uncom 
mon  to  find  in  the  remotely  situated  log-tenements  of  the 
interior.  Most  of  it  was  rude,  and  to  the  last  degree 
rustic;  but  there  was  a  clock,  with  a  handsome  case  of 
dark  wood,  in  a  corner,  and  two  or  three  chairs,  with  a 
table  and  bureau,  that  had  evidently  come  from  some 
dwelling  of  more  than  usual  pretension.  The  clock  was 
industriously  ticking,  but  its  leaden-looking  hands  did  no 
discredit  to  their  dull  aspect,  for  they  pointed  to  the  hour 
of  eleven,  though  the  sun  plainly  showed  it  was  some  time 
past  the  turn  of  the  day.  There  was  also  a  dark,  massive 
chest.  The  kitchen  utensils  were  of  the  simplest  kind, 
and  far  from  numerous,  but  every  article  was  in  its 
place,  and  showed  the  nicest  care  in  its  condition. 

After  Deerslayer  had  cast  a  look  about  him  in  the  outer 
room,  he  raised  a  wooden  latch,  and  entered  a  narrow 
passage  that  divided  the  inner  end  of  the  house  into  two 
equal  parts.  Frontier  usages  being  no  way  scrupulous, 
and  his  curiosity  being  strongly  excited,  the  young  man 
now  opened  a  door,  and  found  himself  in  a  bedroom.  A 
single  glance  sufficed  to  show  that  the  apartment  belonged 
to  females.  The  bed  was  of  the  feathers  of  wild  geese, 
and  filled  nearly  to  overflowing;  but  it  lay  in  a  rude  bunk 
raised  only  a  foot  from  the  floor.  On  one  side  of  it  were 
arranged,  on  pegs,  various  dresses  of  a  quality  much 
superior  to  what  one  would  expect  to  meet  in  such  a  place, 
with  ribbons  and  other  similar  articles  to  correspond. 
Pretty  shoes,  with  handsome  silver  buckles,  such  as  were 
then  worn  by  females  in  easy  circumstances,  were  not 
wanting;  and  no  less  than  six  fans,  of  gay  colors,  were 
placed  half  open,  in  a  way  to  catch  the  eye  by  their  con 
ceits  and  hues.  Even  the  pillow,  on  this  side  of  the  bed, 
was  covered  with  finer  linen  than  its  companion,  and  it 


28  THE   DEERSLAYER 

was  ornamented  with  a  small  ruffle.  A  cap,  coquettishly 
decorated  with  ribbons,  hung  above  it,  and  a  pair  of  long 
gloves,  such  as  were  rarely  used  in  those  days  by  persons 
of  the  laboring  classes,  were  pinned  ostentatiously  to  it, 
as  if  with  an  intention  to  exhibit  them  there,  if  they 
could  not  be  shown  on  the  owner's  arms. 

All  this  Deerslayer  saw,  and  noted  with  a  degree  of 
minuteness  that  would  have  done  credit  to  the  habitual 
observation  of  his  friends,  the  Delawares.  Nor  did  he 
fail  to  perceive  the  distinction  that  existed  between  the 
appearances  on  the  different  sides  of  the  bed,  the  head  of 
which  stood  against  the  wall.  On  that  opposite  to  the  one 
just  described  everything  was  homely  and  uninviting,  ex 
cept  through  its  perfect  neatness.  The  few  garments  that 
were  hanging  from  the  pegs  were  of  the  coarsest  materials 
and  of  the  commonest  forms,  while  nothing  seemed  made 
for  show.  Of  ribbons  there  was  not  one;  nor  was  there 
either  cap  or  kerchief  beyond  those  which  Hutter's 
daughter  might  be  fairly  entitled  to  wear. 

It  was  now  several  years  since  Deerslayer  had  been  in  a 
spot  especially  devoted  to  the  uses  of  females  of  his  own 
color  and  race.  The  sight  brought  back  to  his  mind  a  rush 
of  childish  recollections;  and  he  lingered  in  the  room  with 
a  tenderness  of  feeling  to  which  he  had  long  been  a 
stranger.  He  bethought  him  of  his  mother,  whose  homely 
vestments  he  remembered  to  have  seen  hanging  on  pegs 
like  those  which  he  felt  must  belong  to  Hetty  Hutter;  and 
he  bethought  himself  of  a  sister,  whose  incipient  and 
native  taste  for  finery  had  exhibited  itself  somewhat  in 
the  manner  of  that  of  Judith,  though  necessarily  in  a  less 
degree.  These  little  resemblances  opened  a  long  hidden 
vein  of  sensations;  and  as  he  quitted  the  room,  it  was 
with  a  saddened  mien.  He  looked  no  further,  but  returned 
slowly  and  thoughtfully  towards  the  "door-yard." 

"Old  Tom  has  taken  to  a  new  calling,  and  has  been 
trying  his  hand  at  the  traps,"  cried  Hurry,  who  had  been 
coolly  examining  the  borderer's  implements;  "if  that  is 
his  humor,  and  you're  disposed  to  remain  in  these  parts, 
we  can  make  an  oncommon  comfortable  season  of  it;  for, 
while  the  old  man  and  I  out-knowledge  the  beaver,  you 
can  fish,  and  knock  down  the  deer,  to  keep  body  and  soul 


THE   DEERSLAYER  29 

together.  We  always  give  the  poorest  hunters  half  a 
share,  but  one  as  actyve  and  sartain  as  yourself  might 
expect  a  full  one. ' ' 

"Thank'ee,  Hurry;  thank'ee,  with  all  my  heart— but  I 
do  a  little  beavering  for  myself  as  occasions  offer.  Tis 
true,  the  Delawares  call  me  Deerslayer,  but  it's' not  so 
much  because  I'm  pretty  fatal  with  the  venison  as  because 
that  while  I  kill  so  many  bucks  and  does,  I've  never  yet 
taken  the  life  of  a  fellow-creatur'.  They  say  their  tradi 
tions  do  not  tell  of  another  who  had  shed  so  much  blood  of 
animals  that  had  not  shed  the  blood  of  man." 

"I  hope  they  don't  account  you  chicken-hearted,  lad? 
A  faint-hearted  man  is  like  a  no-tailed  beaver." 

"I  don't  believe,  Hurry,  that  they  account  me  as  out- 
of-the-way  timorsome,  even  though  they  may  not  account 
me  as  out-of-the-way  brave.  But  I'm  not  quarrelsome; 
and  that  goes  a  great  way  towards  keeping  blood  off  the 
hands,  among  the  hunters  and  red-skins;  and  then,  Harry 
March,  it  keeps  blood  off  the  conscience,  too." 

"Well,  for  my  part  I  account  game,  a  red-skin,  and  a 
Frenchman  as  pretty  much  the  same  thing;  though  I'm  as 
onquarrelsome  a  man,  too,  as  there  is  in  all  the  colonies. 
I  despise  a  quarreler  as  I  do  a  cur-dog;  but  one  has  no 
need  to  be  over-scrupulsome  when  it's  the  right  time  to 
show  the  flint. ' ' 

"I  look  upon  him  as  the  most  of  a  man  who  acts  nearest 
the  right,  Hurry.  But  this  is  a  glorious  spot,  and  my 
eyes  never  a- weary  looking  at  it!" 

'  'Tis  your  first  acquaintance  with  a  lake;  and  these 
idees  come  over  us  all  at  such  times.  Lakes  have  a  general 
character,  as  I  say,  being  pretty  much  water  and  land, 
and  points  and  bays." 

As  this  definition  by  no  means  met  the  feelings  that 
were  uppermost  in  the  mind  of  the  young  hunter,  he  made 
no  immediate  answer,  but  stood  gazing  at  the  dark  hills 
and  the  glassy  water  in  silent  enjoyment. 

"Have  the  governor's  or  the  king's  people  given  this 
lake  a  name?"  he  suddenly  asked,  as  if  struck  with  a  new 
idea.  "If  they've  not  begun  to  blaze  their  trees,  and  set 
up  their  compasses,  and  line  off  their  maps,  it's  likely 
they've  not  bethought  them  to  disturb  natur'  with  a  name." 


30  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"They've  not  got  to  that,  yet;  and  the  last  time  I  went 
in  with  skins,  one  of  the  king's  surveyors  was  questioning 
me  consarning  all  the  region  hereabouts.  He  had  heard 
that  there  was  a  lake  in  this  quarter,  and  had  got  some 
general  notions  about  it,  such  as  that  there  was  water  and 
hills;  but  how  much  of  either,  he  knowed  no  more  than 
you  know  of  the  Mohawk  tongue.  I  didn't  open  the  trap 
any  wider  than  was  necessary,  giving  him  but  poo-r 
encouragement  in  the  way  of  farms  and  clearings.  In 
short,  I  left  on  his  mind  some  such  opinion  of  this  coun 
try  as  a  man  gets  of  a  spring  of  dirty  water,  with  a  path 
to  it  that  is  so  muddy  that  one  mires  afore  he  sets  out. 
He  told  me  they  hadn't  got  the  spot  down  yet,  on  their 
maps;  though  I  conclude  that  is  a  mistake,  for  he  showed 
me  his  parchment,  and  there  is  a  lake  down  on  it  where 
there  is  no  lake  in  fact,  and  which  is  about  fifty  miles 
from  the  place  where  it  ought  to  be,  if  they  meant  it  for 
this.  I  don't  think  my  account  will  encourage  him  to 
mark  down  another,  by  way  of  improvement." 

Here  Hurry  laughed  heartily,  such  tricks  being  partic 
ularly  grateful  to  a  set  of  men  who  dreaded  the  approaches 
of  civilization  as  a  curtailment  of  their  own  lawless 
empire.  The  egregious  errors  that  existed  in  the  maps 
of  the  day,  all  of  which  were  made  in  Europe,  was, 
moreover,  a  standing  topic  of  ridicule  among  them;  for, 
if  they  had  not  science  enough  to  make  any  better  them 
selves,  they  had  sufficient  local  information  to  detect  the 
gross  blunders  contained  in  those  tha*  existed.  Anyone 
who  will  take  the  trouble  to  compare  these  unanswerable 
evidences  of  the  topographical  skill  of  our  fathers  a  cen 
tury  since,  with  the  more  accurate  sketches  of  our  own 
time,  will  at  once  perceive  that  the  men  of  the  woods  had 
a  sufficient  justification  for  all  their  criticism  on  this 
branch  of  the  skill  of  the  colonial  governments,  which 
did  not  at  all  hesitate  to  place  a  river  or  a  lake  a  degree 
or  two  out  of  the  way,  even  though  they  lay  within  a 
day's  march  of  the  inhabited  parts  of  the  country. 

"I'm  glad  it  has  no  name,"  resumed  Deerslayer,  "or, 
at  least,  no  pale-face  name;  for  their  christenings  always 
foretell  waste  and  destruction.  No  doubt,  however,  the 
red-skins  have  their  modes  of  knowing  it,  and  the  hunters 


THE   DEERSLAYER  31 

and  trappers,  too;  they  are  likely  to  call  the  place  by 
something  reasonable  and  resembling." 

"As  for  the  tribes,  each  has  its  own  tongue,  and  its 
own  way  of  calling  things;  and  they  treat  this  part  of  the 
world  just  as  they  treat  all  others.  Among  ourselves, 
we've  got  to  calling  the  place  the  'Glimmerglass,'  seeing 
that  its  whole  basin  is  so  often  fringed  with  pines,  cast 
upward  from  its  face;  as  if  it  would  throw  back  the  hills 
that  hung  over  it." 

"There  is  an  outlet,  I  know,  for  all  lakes  have  outlets, 
and  the  rock  at  which  I  am  to  meet  Chingachgook  stands 
near  an  outlet.  Has  that  no  colony-name  yet?" 

"In  that  particular  they've  got  the  advantage  of  us, 
having  one  end,  and  that  the  biggest,  in  their  own  keep 
ing;  they've  given  it  a  name  which  has  found  its  way  up 
to  its  source;  names  nat' rally  working  up  stream.  No 
doubt,  Deerslayer,  you've  seen  the  Susquehannah,  down 
in  the  Delaware  country?" 

"That  have  I,  and  hunted  along  its  banks  a  hundred 
times." 

"That  and  this  are  the  same  in  fact,  and,  I  suppose,  the 
same  in  sound.  I  am  glad  they've  been  compelled  to  keep 
the  red-men's  name,  for  it  would  be  too  hard  to  rob  them 
of  both  land  and  name!" 

Deerslayer  made  no  answer;  but  he  stood  leaning  on 
his  rifle,  gazing  at  the  view  which  so  much  delighted 
him.  The  reader  is  not  to  suppose,  however,  that  it  was 
the  picturesque  alone  which  so  strongly  attracted  his  at 
tention.  The  spot  was  very  lovely,  of  a  truth,  and  it  was 
then  seen  in  one  of  its  most  favorable  moments,  the  sur 
face  of  the  lake  being  as  smooth  as  glass  and  as  limpid  as 
pure  air,  throwing  back  the  mountains,  clothed  in  dark 
pines,  along  the  whole  of  its  eastern  boundary,  the  points 
thrusting  forward  their  trees  even  to  nearly  horizontal 
lines,  while  the  bays  were  seen  glittering  through  an 
occasional  arch  beneath,  left  by  a  vault  fretted  with 
branches  and  leaves.  It  was  the  air  of  deep  repose — the 
solitudes,  that  spoke  of  scenes  and  forests  untouched  by 
the  hands  of  man — the  reign  of  nature,  in  a  word,  that 
gave  so  much  pure  delight  to  one  of  his  habits  and  turn 
of  mind.  Still,  he  felt,  though  it  was  unconsciously,  like 


32  THE   DEERSLAYER 

a  poet  also.  If  he  found  a  pleasure  in  studying  this 
large,  and  to  him  unusual  opening  into  the  mysteries  and 
forms  of  the  woods,  as  one  is  gratified  in  getting  broader 
views  of  any  subject  that  has  long  occupied  his  thoughts, 
he  was  not  insensible  to  the  innate  loveliness  of  such  a 
landscape  neither,  but  felt  a  portion  of  that  soothing  of 
the  spirit  which  is  a  common  attendant  of  a  scene  so 
thoroughly  pervaded  by  the  holy  calm  of  nature. 


CHAPTER  III 

Come,  shall  we  go  and  kill  us  venison  ? 
And  yet  it  irks  me,  the  poor  dappled  fools- 
Being  native  burghers  of  this  desert  city- 
Should,  in  their  own  confines,  with  forked  heads 
Have  their  round  haunches  gored." 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

HURRY  HARRY  thought  more  of  the  beauties  of  Judith 
Hutter  than  of  those  of  the  Glimmerglass,  and  its  accom 
panying  scenery.  As  soon  as  he  had  taken  a  sufficiently 
intimate  survey  of  Floating  Tom's  implements,  therefore, 
he  summoned  his  companion  to  the  canoe,  that  they  might 
go  down  the  lake  in  quest  of  the  family.  Previously  to 
embarking,  however,  Hurry  carefully  examined  the  whole 
of  the  northern  end  of  the  water  with  an  indifferent 
ship's  glass,  that  formed  a  part  of  Hutter's  effects.  In 
this  scrutiny,  no  part  of  the  shore  was  overlooked;  the 
bays  and  points  in  particular  being  subjected  to  a  closer 
inquiry  than  the  rest  of  the  wooded  boundary. 

' '  'Tis  as  I  thought, ' '  said  Hurry,  laying  aside  the  glass, 
"the  old  fellow  is  drifting  about  the  south  end  this  fine 
weather,  and  has  left  the  castle  to  defend  itself.  Well, 
now  we  know  that  he  is  not  up  this-a-way,  'twill  be  but 
a  small  matter  to  paddle  down  and  hunt  him  up  in  his 
hiding  place." 

"Does  Master  Hutter  think  it  necessary  to  burrow  on 
this  lake?"  inquired  Deerslayer,  as  he  followed  his  com 
panion  into  the  canoe;  "to  my  eye  it  is  such  a  solitude  as 
one  might  open  his  whole  soul  in,  and  fear  no  one  to 
disarrange  his  thoughts  or  his  worship." 

"You  forget  your  friends,  the  Mingoes,  and  all  the 
French  savages.  Is  there  a  spot  on  'arth,  Deerslayer,  to 
which  them  disquiet  rogues  don't  go?  Where  is  the  lake, 
or  even  the  deer-lick,  that  the  blackguards  don't  find  out; 
and,  having  found  out,  don't  sooner  or  later  discolor  its 
water  with  blood?" 

"I  hear  no  good  character  of  them,  sartainly,  friend 

3  33 


34  THE   DEERSLAYER 

Hurry,  though  I've  never  been  called  on,  as  yet,  to  meet 
them,  or  any  other  mortal,  on  the  war-path.  I  dare  to 
say  that  such  a  lovely  spot  as  this  would  not  be  likely  to 
be  overlooked  by  such  plunderers;  for  though  I've  not 
been  in  the  way  of  quarreling  with  them  tribes  myself, 
the  Delawares  give  me  such  an  account  of  'em  that  I've 
pretty  much  set  'em  down,  in  my  own  mind,  as  thorough 
miscreants." 

"You  may  do  that  with  a  safe  conscience,  or,  for  that 
matter,  any  other  savage  you  may  happen  to  meet. ' ' 

Here  Deerslayer  protested,  and  as  they  went  paddling 
down  the  lake  a  hot  discussion  was  maintained  concerning 
the  respective  merits  of  the  pale  faces  and  the  red-skins. 
Hurry  had  all  the  prejudices  and  antipathies  of  a  white 
hunter,  who  generally  regards  the  Indian  as  a  sort  of 
natural  competitor,  and  not  unfrequently  as  a  natural 
enemy.  As  a  matter  of  course,  he  was  loud,  clamorous, 
dogmatical,  and  not  vtry  argumentative.  Deerslayer,  on 
the  other  hand,  manifested  a  very  different  temper;  prov 
ing,  by  the  moderation  of  his  language,  the  fairness  of 
his  views,  and  the  simplicity  of  his  distinctions,  that  he 
possessed  every  disposition  to  hear  reason,  a  strong  innate 
desire  to  do  justice,  and  an  ingenuousness  that  was 
singularly  indisposed  to  have  recourse  to  sophisms  to 
maintain  an  argument,  or  to  defend  a  prejudice.  Still, 
he  was  not  altogether  free  from  the  influence  of  the  latter 
feeling.  This  tyrant  of  the  human  mind,  which  rushes  on 
its  prey  through  a  thousand  avenues,  almost  as  soon  as  men 
begin  to  think  and  feel,  and  which  seldom  relinquishes  its 
iron  sway  until  they  cease  to  do  either,  had  made  some 
impression  on  even  the  just  propensities  of  this  individual 
who  probably  offered  in  these  particulars  a  fair  specimen 
of  what  absence  from  bad  example,  the  want  of  temptation 
to  go  wrong,  and  native  good  feeling,  can  render  youth. 

"You  will  allow,  Deerslayer,  that  a  Mingo  is  more  than 
half  devil,"  cried  Hurry,  following  up  the  discussion 
with  an  animation  that  touched  closely  on  ferocity, 
"though  you  want  to  over-persuade  me  that  the  Delaware 
tribe  is  pretty  much  made  up  of  angels.  Now,  I  gainsay 
that  proposal,  consarning  white  men,  even.  All  white 
men  are  not  faultless,  and  therefore  all  Indians  can't  be 


THE   DEERSLAYER  35 

faultless.  And  so  your  argument  is  out  at  the  elbow  in 
the  start.  But  this  is  what  I  call  reason.  Here's  three 
colors  on  'arth:  white,  black,  and  red.  White  is  the 
highest  color,  and  therefore  the  best  man;  black  comes 
next,  and  is  put  to  live  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  white 
man,  as  tolerable,  and  fit  to  be  made  use  of;  and  red 
comes  last,  which  shows  that  those  that  made  'm  never 
expected  an  Indian  to  be  accounted  as  more  than  half 
human. ' ' 

"God  made  all  three  alike,  Hurry." 

"Alike!  Do  you  call  a  nigger  like  a  white  man,  or  me 
like  an  Indian?" 

"You  go  off  at  half-cock,  and  don't  hear  me  out.  God 
made  us  all  white,  black,  and  red;  and,  no  doubt,  had  his 
own  wise  intentions  in  coloring  us  differently.  Still,  he 
made  us,  in  the  main,  much  the  same  in  feelin's;  though 
I'll  not  deny  that  he  gave  each  race  its  gifts.  A  white 
man's  gifts  are  Christianized,  while  a  red-skin's  are  more 
for  the  wilderness.  Thus,  it  would  be  a  great  offense  for 
a  white  man  to  scalp  the  dead;  whereas  it's  a  signal  vartue 
in  an  Indian.  Then  ag'in,  a  white  man  cannot  amboosh 
women  and  children  in  war,  while  a  red-skin  may.  'Tis 
cruel  work,  I'll  allow;  but  for  them  it's  lawful  work; 
while  for  us,  it  would  be  grievous  work." 

"That  depends  on  your  inimy.  As  for  scalping,  or  even 
skinning  a  savage,  I  look  upon  them  pretty  much  the  same 
as  cutting  off  the  ears  of  wolves  for  the  bounty,  or  strip 
ping  a  bear  of  its  hide.  And  then  you're  out  significantly, 
as  to  taking  the  poll  of  a  red-skin  in  hand,  seeing  that  the 
very  colony  has  offered  a  bounty  for  the  job;  all  the  same 
as  it  pays  for  wolves'  ears  and  crows'  heads." 

"Ay,  and  a  bad  business  it  is,  Hurry.  Even  the  Indians 
themselves  cry  shame  on  it,  seeing  it's  ag'in  a  white 
man's  gifts.  I  do  not  pretend  that  all  that  white  men  do 
is  properly  Christianized,  and  according  to  the  lights  given 
them,  for  then  they  would  be  what  they  ought  to  be,  which 
we  know  they  are  not;  but  I  will  maintain  that  tradition, 
and  use,  and  color,  and  laws,  make  such  a  difference  in 
races  as  to  amount  to  gifts.  I  do  not  deny  that  there  are 
tribes  among  the  Indians  that  are  nat' rally  pervarse  and 
wicked,  as  there  are  nations  among  the  whites.  Now,  I 


36  THE   DEERSLAYER 

account  the  Mingoes  as  belonging  to  the  first,  and  the 
Frenchers,  in  the  Canadas,  to  the  last.  In  a  state  of  lawful 
warfare,  such  as  we  have  lately  got  into,  it  is  a  duty  to 
keep  down  all  compassionate  feelin's,  so  far  as  life  goes, 
ag'in  in  either;  but  when  it  comes  to  scalps,  it's  a  very 
different  matter. ' ' 

"Just  hearken  to  reason,  if  you  please,  Deerslayer,  and 
tell  me  if  the  colony  can  make  an  onlawful  law?  Isn't  an 
onlawful  law  more  ag'in  natur'  than  scalpin'  a  savage? 
A  law  can  no  more  be  onlawful,  than  truth  can  be  a  lie.'* 

"That  sounds  reasonable;  but  it  has  a  most  onreasonable 
bearing,  Hurry.  Laws  don't  all  come  from  the  same 
quarter.  God  has  given  us  his'n,  and  some  come  from  the 
colony,  and  others  come  from  the  king  and  parliament. 
When  the  colony's  laws,  or  even  the  king's  laws,  run  ag'in 
the  laws  of  God,  they  get  to  be  onlawful,  and  ought  not  to 
be  obeyed.  I  hold  to  a  wh:'te  man's  respecting  white  laws, 
so  long  as  they  do  not  cross  the  track  of  a  law  comin'  from 
a  higher  authority;  and  for  a  red  man  to  obey  his  own 
red-skin  usages,  under  the  same  privilege.  But,  'tis  use 
less  talking,  as  each  man  will  think  for  himself,  and  have 
his  say  agreeable  to  his  thoughts.  Let  us  keep  a  good 
lookout  for  your  friend  Floating  Tom,  lest  we  pass  him, 
as  he  lies  hidden  under  this  bushy  shore." 

Deerslayer  had  not  named  the  borders  of  the  lake  amiss. 
Along  their  whole  length,  the  smaller  trees  overhung  the 
water,  with  their  branches  often  dipping  in  the  trans 
parent  element.  The  banks  were  steep,  even  from  the 
narrow  strand;  and,  as  vegetation  invariably  struggles 
towards  the  light,  the  effect  was  precisely  that  at  which 
the  lover  of  the  picturesque  would  have  aimed,  had  the 
ordering  of  this  glorious  setting  of  forest  been  submitted 
to  his  control.  The  points  and  bays,  too,  were  sufficiently 
numerous  to  render  the  outline  broken  and  diversified. 
As  the  canoe  kept  close  along  the  western  side  of  the  lake, 
with  a  view,  as  Hurry  had  explained  to  his  companion, 
of  reconnoitering  for  enemies,  before  he  trusted  himself 
too  openly  in  sight,  the  expectations  of  the  two  adventurers 
were  kept  constantly  on  the  stretch,  as  neither  could  fore 
tell  what  the  next  turning  of  a  point  might  reveal.  Their 
progress  was  swift,  the  gigantic  strength  of  Hurry  ena- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  37 

bling  him  to  play  with  the  light  bark  as  if  it  had  been  a 
feather,  while  the  skill  of  his  companion  almost  equal 
ized  their  usefulness,  notwithstanding  the  disparity  in 
natural  means. 

Each  time  the  canoe  passed  a  point,  Hurry  turned  a 
look  behind  him,  expecting  to  see  the  "ark"  anchored,  or 
beached  in  the  bay.  He  was  fated  to  be  disappointed, 
however;  and  they  had  got  within  a  mile  of  the  southern 
end  of  the  lake,  or  a  distance  of  quite  two  leagues  from 
the  "castle,"  which  was  now  hidden  from  view  by  half 
a  dozen  intervening  projections  of  the  land,  when  he  sud 
denly  ceased  paddling,  as  if  uncertain  in  what  direction 
next  to  steer. 

"It  is  possible  that  the  old  chap  has  dropped  into  the 
river,"  said  Hurry,  after  looking  carefully  along  the 
whole  of  the  eastern  shore,  which  was  about  a  mile  dis 
tant,  and  open  to  his  scrutiny  for  more  than  half  its 
length;  "for  he  has  taken  to  trapping  considerable,  of 
late,  and,  barring  flood-wood,  he  might  drop  down  it  a 
mile  or  so;  though  he  would  have  a  most  scratching  time 
in  getting  back  again!" 

"Where  is  this  outlet?"  asked  Deerslayer;  "I  see  no 
opening  in  the  banks  or  the  trees,  that  looks  as  if  it  would 
let  a  river  like  the  Susquehannah  run  through  it." 

"Ay,  Deerslayer,  rivers  are  like  human  mortals;  having 
small  beginnings,  and  ending  with  broad  shoulders  and 
wide  mouths.  You  don't  see  the  outlet,  because  it  passes 
atween  high,  steep  banks;  and  the  pines,  and  hemlocks, 
and  bass-woods  hang  over  it,  as  a  roof  hangs  over  a  house. 
If  old  Tom  is  not  in  the  'Rat's  Cove,'  he  must  have 
burrowed  in  the  river;  we'll  look  for  him  first  in  the 
cove,  and  then  we'll  cross  to  the  outlet." 

As  they  proceeded,  Hurry  explained  that  there  was  a 
shallow  bay,  formed  by  a  long,  low  point,  that  had  got 
the  name  of  the  "Rat's  Cove,"  from  the  circumstance  of 
its  being  a  favorite  haunt  of  the  muskrat;  and  which 
offered  so  complete  a  cover  for  the  "ark,"  that  its  owner 
was  fond  of  lying  in  it,  whenever  he  found  it  convenient. 

"As  a  man  never  knows  who  may  be  his  visitors,  in  this 
part  of  the  country,"  continued  Hurry,  "it's  a  great  ad 
vantage  to  get  a  good  look  at  'em  before  they  come  too 


38  THE   DEERSLAYER 

near.  Now  it's  war,  such  caution  is  more  than  commonly 
useful,  since  a  Canada  man  or  a  Mingo  might  get  into  his 
hut  afore  he  invited  'em.  But  Hutter  is  a  first-rate 
lookouter,  and  can  pretty  much  scent  danger,  as  a  hound 
scents  the  deer. ' ' 

"I  should  think  the  castle  so  open,  that  it  would  be 
sartain  to  draw  inimies,  if  any  happened  to  find  the  lake; 
a  think  onlikely  enough,  I  will  allow,  as  it's  off  the  trail 
of  the  forts  and  settlements. ' ' 

"Why,  Deerslayer,  I've  got  to  believe  that  a  man  meets 
with  inimies  easier  than  he  meets  with  fri'nds.  It's 
skearful  to  think  for  how  many  causes  one  gets  to  be 
your  inimy,  and  for  how  few  your  fri'nd.  Some  take  up 
the  hatchet  because  you  don't  -hink  just  as  they  think; 
other  some  because  you  run  ahead  of  'em  in  the  saine 
idees;  and  I  once  know'd  a  vagabond  that  quarreled  with 
a  fri'nd  because  he  didn't  think  him  handsome.  Now, 
you're  no  monument  in  the  way  of  beauty,  yourself, 
Deerslayer,  and  yet  you  wouldn't  be  so  onreasonable  as  to 
become  my  inimy  for  just  saying  so." 

"I'm  as  the  Lord  made  me;  and  I  wish  to  be  accounted 
no  better,  nor  any  worse.  Good  looks  I  may  not  have; 
that  is  to  say,  to  a  degree  that  the  light-minded  and  vain 
crave;  but  I  hope  I'm  not  altogether  without  some  ricom- 
mend  in  the  way  of  good  conduct.  There's  few  nobler 
looking  men  to  be  seen  than  yourself,  Hurry;  and  I  know 
that  I  am  not  to  expect  any  to  turn  their  eyes  on  me, 
when  such  a  one  as  you  can  be  gazed  on;  but  I  do  not 
know  that  a  hunter  is  less  expart  with  the  rifle,  or  less  to 
be  relied  on  for  food,  because  he  doesn't  wish  to  stop  at 
every  shining  spring  he  may  meet,  to  study  his  own 
countenance  in  the  water." 

Here  Hurry  burst  into  a  fit  of  loud  laughter;  for  while 
he  was  too  reckless  to  care  much  about  his  own  manifest 
physical  superiority,  he  was  well  aware  of  it,  and,  like 
most  men  who  derive  an  advantage  from  the  accidents  of 
birth  or  nature,  he  was  apt  to  think  complacently  on  the 
subject,  whenever  it  happened  to  cross  his  mind. 

"No,  no,  Deerslayer,  you're  no  beauty,  as  you  will  own 
yourself,  if  you'll  look  over  the  side  of  the  canoe,"  he 
cried;  "Jude  will  say  that  to  your  face,  if  you  start  her, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  39 

for  a  parter  tongue  isn't  to  be  found  in  any  gal's  head,  in 
or  out  of  the  settlements,  if  you  provoke  her  to  use' it. 
My  advice  to  you  is,  never  to  aggravate  Judith;  though 
you  may  tell  anything  to  Hetty,  and  she'll  take  it  as  meek 
as  a  lamb.  No,  Jude  will  be  just  as  like  as  not  to  tell  you 
her  opinion  consarning  your  looks." 

"And  if  she  does,  Hurry,  she  will  tell  me  no  more  than 
you  have  said  already — 

'  'You're  not  thick'ning  up  about  a  small  remark,  I  hope, 
Deerslayer,  when  no  harm  is  meant.  You  are  not  a  beauty 
as  you  must  know,  and  why  shouldn't  fri'nds  tell  each 
other  these  little  trifles?  If  you  was  handsome,  or  ever 
like  to  be,  I'd  be  one  of  the  first  to  tell  you  of  it;  and 
that  ought  to  content  you.  Now,  if  Jude  was  to  tell  me 
that  I'm  as  ugly  as  a  sinner,  I'd  take  it  as  a  sort  of 
obligation,  and  try  not  to  believe  her." 

"It's  easy  for  them  that  natur'  has  favored,  to  jest 
about  such  matters,  Hurry,  though  it  is  sometimes  hard 
for  others.  I'll  not  deny  but  I've  had  my  cravings  towards 
good  looks;  yes,  I  have;  but  then  I've  always  been  able 
to  get  them  down  by  considering  how  many  I've  known 
with  fair  outsides,  who  have  had  nothing  to  boast  of 
inwardly.  I'll  not  deny,  Hurry,  that  I  often  wish  I'd 
been  created  more  comely  to  the  eye,  and  more  like  such 
a  one  as  yourself,  in  them  particulars;  but  then  I  get  the 
feel  in'  under  by  remembering  how  much  better  off  I  am, 
in  a  great  many  respects,  than  some  fellow-mortals.  I 
might  have  been  born  lame,  and  onfit  even  for  a  squirrel 
hunt;  or  blind,  which  would  have  made  me  a  burden  on 
myself  as  well  as  on  my  fri'nds;  or  without  hearing, 
which  would  have  totally  onqualified  me  for  ever  cam 
paigning  or  scouting;  which  I  look  forward  to  as  part  of 
a  man's  duty  in  troublesome  times.  Yes,  yes;  it's  not 
pleasant,  I  will  allow,  to  see  them  that's  more  comely, 
and  more  sought  a'ter,  and  honored  than  yourself;  but  it 
may  all  be  borne,  if  a  man  looks  the  evil  in  the  face,  and 
don't  mistake  his  gifts  and  his  obligations." 

Hurry,  in  the  main,  was  a  good-hearted  as  well  as  good- 
natured  fellow;  and  the  self-abasement  of  his  companion 
completely  got  the  better  of  the  passing  feeling  of  personal 
vanity.  He  regretted  the  allusion  he  had  made  to  the 


40  THE   DEERSLAYER 

other's  appearance,  and  endeavored  to  express  as  much, 
though  it  was  done  in  the  uncouth  manner  that  belonged 
to  the  habits  and  opinions  of  the  frontier. 

"I  meant  no  harm,  Deerslayer, "  he  answered,  in  a 
deprecating  manner,  "and  hope  you'll  forget  what  I've 
said.  If  you're  not  downright  handsome,  you've  a  sartain 
look  that  says,  plainer  than  any  words,  that  all's  right 
within.  Then  you  set  no  valie  by  looks,  and  will  the 
sooner  forgive  any  little  slight  to  .your  appearance.  I 
will  not  say  that  Jude  will  greatly  admire  you,  for  that 
might  raise  hopes  that  would  only  breed  disapp'intment; 
but  there's  Hetty,  now,  would  be  just  as  likely  to  find 
satisfaction  in  looking  at  you,  as  in  looking  at  any  other 
man.  Then  you're  altogether  too  grave  and  considerate- 
like,  to  care  much  about  Judith;  for,  though  the  gal  is 
oncommon,  she  is  so  general  in  her  admiration,  that  a 
man  need  not  be  exalted  because  she  happens  to  smile.  I 
sometimes  think  the  hussy  loves  herself  better  than  she 
does  anything  else  breathin'!" 

"If  she  did,  Hurry,  she'd  do  no  more,  I'm  afeard,  than 
most  queens  on  their  thrones,  and  ladies  in  the  towns," 
answered  Deerslayer,  smiling,  and  turning  back  towards 
his  companion  with  every  trace  of  feeling  banished  from 
his  honest- looking  and  frank  countenance.  "I  never  yet 
know'd  even  a  Delaware  of  whom  you  might  not  say  that 
much.  But  here  is  the  end  of  the  long  p'int  you  mentioned 
and  the  'Rats'  Cove'  can't  be  far  off." 

This  point,  instead  of  thrusting  itself  forward,  like  all 
the  others,  ran  in  a  line  with  the  main  shore  of  the  lake, 
which  here  swept  within  it,  in  a  deep  and  retired  bay, 
circling  round  south  again,  at  the  distance  of  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  and  crossed  the  valley,  forming  the  southern 
termination  of  the  water.  In  this  bay  Hurry  felt  almost 
certain  of  finding  the  ark,  since,  anchored  behind  the 
trees  that  covered  the  narrow  strip  of  the  point,  it  might 
have  lain  concealed  from  prying  eyes  an  entire  summer. 
So  complete,  indeed,  was  the  cover,  in  this  spot,  that  a 
boat  hauled  close  to  the  beach,  within  the  point,  and  near 
the  bottom  of  the  bay,  could  by  possibility  be  seen  from 
only  one  direction;  and  that  was  from  a  densely  wooded 
shore  within  the  sweep  of  the  water,  where  strangers 
would  be  little  apt  to  go. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  41 

"We  shall  soon  see  the  ark,"  said  Hurry,  as  the  canoe 
glided  round  the  extremity  of  the  point,  where  the  water 
was  so  deep  as  actually  to  appear  black;  "he  loves  to 
burrow  up  among  the  rushes,  and  we  shall  be  in  his  nest 
in  five  minutes,  although  the  old  fellow  may  be  off  among 
the  traps  himself." 

March  proved  a  false  prophet.  The  canoe  completely 
doubled  the  point,  so  as  to  enable  the  two  travelers  to 
command  a  view  of  the  whole  cove  or  bay,  for  it  was  more 
properly  the  last,  and  no  object,  but  those  that  nature  had 
placed  there,  became  visible.  The  placid  water  swept 
round  in  a  graceful  curve,  the  rushes  bent  gently  towards 
its  surface,  and  the  trees  overhung  it  as  usual;  but  all  lay 
in  the  soothing  and  sublime  solitude  of  a  wilderness.  The 
scene  was  such  as  a  poet  or  an  artist  would  have  delighted 
in,  but  it  had  no  charm  for  Hurry  Harry,  who  was  burn 
ing  with  impatience  to  get  a  sight  of  his  light-minded 
beauty. 

The  motion  of  the  canoe  had  been  attended  with  little 
or  no  noise,  the  frontiersmen  habitually  getting  accus 
tomed  to  caution  in  most  of  their  movements,  and  it  now 
lay  on  the  glassy  water  appearing  to  float  in  air,  partaking 
of  the  breathing  stillness  that  seemed  to  pervade  the  entire 
scene.  At  this  instant  a  dry  stick  was  heard  cracking  on 
the  narrow  strip  of  land  that  concealed  the  bay  from  the 
open  lake.  Both  the  adventurers  started,  and  each  ex 
tended  a  hand  towards  his  rifle,  the  weapon  never  being 
out  of  reach  of  the  arm. 

"  'Twas  too  heavy  for  any  light  creatur',"  whispered 
Hurry,  "and  it  sounded  like  the  tread  of  a  man!" 

"Not  so — not  so,"  returned  Deerslayer;  "'twas,  as  you 
say,  too  heavy  for  one,  but  it  was  too  light  for  the  other. 
Put  your  paddle  in  the  water,  and  send  the  canoe  in,  to 
that  log;  I'll  land  and  cut  off  the  creatur's  retreat  up  the 
pin't,  be  it  a  Mingo,  or  be  it  only  a  muskrat." 

As  Hurry  complied,  Deerslayer  was  soon  on  the  shore, 
advancing  into  the  thicket  with  a  moccasined  foot,  and  a 
caution  that  prevented  the  least  noise.  In  a  minute  he 
was  in  the  center  of  the  narrow  strip  of  land,  and  moving 
slowly  down  towards  its  end,  the  bushes  rendering  extreme 
watchfulness  necessary.  Just  as  he  reached  the  center  of 


42  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  thicket  the  dried  twigs  cracked  again,  and  the  noise 
was  repeated  at  short  intervals,  as  if  some  creature  having 
life  walked  slowly  towards  the  point.  Hurry  heard  these 
sounds  also,  and  pushing  the  canoe  off  into  the  bay,  he 
seized  his  rifle  to  watch  the  result.  A  breathless  minute 
succeeded,  after  which  a  noble  buck  walked  out  of  the 
thicket,  proceeded  with  a  stately  step  to  the  sandy  ex 
tremity  of  the  point,  and  began  to  slake  his  thirst  from 
the  water  of  the  lake.  Hurry  hesitated  an  instant;  then 
raising  his  rifle  hastily  to  his  shoulder,  he  took  sight  and 
fired.  The  effect  of  this  sudden  interruption  of  the 
solemn  stillness  of  such  a  scene  was  not  its  least  striking 
peculiarity.  The  report  of  the  weapon  had  the  usual  sharp, 
short  sound  of  the  rifle;  but  when  a  few  moments  of 
silence  had  succeeded  the  sudden  crack,  during  which  the 
noise  was  floating  in  air  across  the  water,  it  reached  the 
rocks  of  the  opposite  mountain,  where  the  vibrations 
accumulated,  and  were  rolled  from  cavity  to  cavity  for 
miles  along  the  hills,  seeming  to  awaken  the  sleeping 
thunders  of  the  woods.  The  buck  merely  shook  his  head 
at  the  report  of  the  rifle  and  the  whistling  of  the  bullet, 
for  never  before  had  he  come  in  contact  with  man;  but 
the  echoes  of  the  hills  awakened  his  distrust,  and  leaping 
forward,  with  his  four  legs  drawn  under  his  body,  he  fell 
at  once  into  deep  water,  and  began  to  swim  towards  the 
foot  of  the  lake.  Hurry  shouted  and  dashed  forward  in 
chase,  and  for  one  or  two  minutes  the  water  foamed 
around  the  pursuer  and  the  pursued.  The  former  was 
dashing  past  the  point,  when  Deerslayer  appeared  on  the 
sand,  and  signed  to  him  to  return. 

'Twas  inconsiderate  to  pull  a  trigger  afore  we  had 
reconn'itered  the  shore,  and  made  sartain  that  no  inimies 
harbored  near  it, "  said  the  latter,  as  his  companion  slowly 
and  reluctantly  complied.  "This  much  I  have  1'arned  from 
the  Delawares,  in  the  way  of  schooling  and  traditions,  even 
though  I've  never  yet  been  on  a  war-path.  And  moreover, 
venison  can  hardly  be  called  in  season  now,  and  we  do  not 
want  for  food.  They  call  me  Deerslayer,  I'll  own;  and 
perhaps  I  desarve  the  name,  in  the  way  of  understanding 
the  creatur's  habits,  as  well  as  for  sartainty  in  the  aim; 
but  they  can't  accuse  me  of  killing  an  animal  when  there 


THE   DEERSLAYER  43 

is  no  occasion  for  the  meat  or  the  skin.  I  may  be  a  slayer, 
it's  true,  but  I'm  no  slaughterer." 

"  "Twas  an  awful  mistake  to  miss  that  buck!"  exclaimed 
Hurry,  doffing  his  cap,  and  running  his  fingers  through 
his  handsome  but  matted  curls,  as  if  he  would  loosen  his 
tangled  ideas  by  the  process;  "I've  not  done  so  onhandy 
a  thing  since  I  was  fifteen." 

"Never  lament  it;  the  creatur's  death  could  have  done 
neither  of  us  any  good,  and  might  have  done  us  harm. 
Them  echoes  are  more  awful  in  my  ears  than  your  mistake, 
Hurry;  for  they  sound  like  the  voice  of  natur'  calling  out 
ag'in  a  wasteful  and  onthinking  action." 

"You'll  hear  plenty  of  such  calls,  if  you  tarry  long  in 
this  quarter  of  the  world,  lad,"  returned  the  other,  laugh 
ing.  "The  echoes  repeat  pretty  much  all  that  is  said  or 
done  on  the  Glimmerglass,  in  this  calm  summer  weather. 
If  a  paddle  falls,  you  hear  of  it  sometimes  ag'in  and  ag'in, 
as  if  the  hills  were  mocking  your  clumsiness;  and  a  laugh 
or  a  whistle  comes  out  of  them  pines,  when  they're  in  the 
humor  to  speak,  in  a  way  to  make  you  believe  they  can 
ra'lly  convarse.  "x 

"So  much  the  more  reason  for  being  prudent  and  silent. 
I  do  not  think  the  inimy  can  have  found  their  way  into 
these  hills  yet,  for  I  don't  know  what  they  are  to  gain  by 
it;  but  all  the  Delawares  tell  me,  that  as  courage  is  a 
warrior's  first  vartue,  so  is  prudence  his  second.  One  such 
call,  from  the  mountains,  is  enough  to  let  a  whole  tribe 
into  the  secret  of  our  arrival." 

"If  it  does  no  other  good,  it  will  warn  old  Tom  to  put 
the  pot  over,  and  let  him  know  visitors  are  at  hand. 
Come,  lad;  get  into  the  canoe,  and  we  will  hunt  the  ark 
up  while  there  is  yet  day." 

Deerslayer  complied,  and  the  canoe  left  the  spot.  Its 
head  was  turned  diagonally  across  the  lake,  pointing  to 
wards  the  southeastern  curvature  of  the  sheet.  In  that 
direction,  the  distance  to  the  shore,  or  to  the  termination 
of  the  lake,  on  the  course  the  two  were  now  steering,  was 
not  quite  a  mile,  and  their  progress  being  always  swift, 

1  It  is  a  wonder  that  these  echoes  of  the  hills,  rocks  and  caverns,  BO  familiar  to 
every  schoolboy,  did  not  suggest  the  idea  of  the  phonograph  or  graphophone. 
-Eo. 


44  THE   DEERSLAYER 

it  was  fast  lessening,  under  the  skilful  but  easy  sweeps  of 
the  paddles.  When  about  half-way  across  a  slight  noise 
drew  the  eyes  of  the  men  towards  the  nearest  land,  and 
they  saw  that  the  buck  was  just  emerging  from  the  lake, 
and  wading  towards  the  beach.  In  a  minute  the  noble 
animal  shook  the  water  from  his  flanks,  gazed  upwards  at 
the  covering  of  trees,  and,  bounding  against  the  bank, 
plunged  into  the  forest. 

"That  creatur'  goes  off  with  gratitude  in  his  heart," 
said  Deerslayer,  "for  natur'  tells  him  he  has  escaped  a 
great  danger.  You  ought  to  have  some  of  the  same 
feelin's,  Hurry,  to  think  your  eye  wasn't  truer — that 
your  hand  was  onsteady,  when  no  good  could  come  of  a 
shot  that  was  intended  onmeaningly,  rather  than  in 
reason." 

"I  deny  the  eye  and  the  hand,"  cried  March,  with  some 
heat.  "You've  got  a  little  character,  down  among  the 
Delawares,  there,  for  quickness  and  sartainty,  at  a  deer; 
but  I  should  like  to  see  you  behind  one  of  them  pines,  and 
a  full-painted  Mingo  behind  another,  each  with  a  cocked 
rifle  and  a-striving  for  the  chance !  Them's  the  situations, 
Nathaniel,  to  try  the  sight  and  the  hand,  for  they  begin 
with  trying  the  narves.  I  never  look  upon  killing  a 
creatur'  as  an  explite;  but  killing  a  savage  is.  The  time 
will  come  to  try  your  hand,  now  we've  got  to  blows  ag'in, 
and  we  shall  soon  know  what  a  ven'son  reputation  can  do 
in  the  field.  I  deny  that  either  hand  or  eye  was  onsteady; 
it  was  all  a  miscalculation  of  the  buck,  which  stood  still 
when  he  ought  to  have  kept  in  motion,  and  so  I  shot  ahead 
of  him." 

"Have  it  your  own  way,  Hurry;  all  I  contend  for  is, 
that  it's  lucky.  I  dare  say  I  shall  not  pull  upon  a  human 
mortal  as  steadily  or  with  as  light  a  heart,  as  I  pull  upon 
a  deer. ' ' 

"Who's  talking  of  mortals,  or  of  human  beings  at  all, 
Deerslayer?  I  put  the  matter  to  you  on  the  supposition 
of  an  Injin.  I  dare  say  any  man  would  have  his  feelin's 
when  it  got  to  be  life  or  death,  ag'in  another  human 
mortal ;  but  there  would  be  no  such  scruples  in  regard  to 
an  Injin;  nothing  but  the  chance  of  his  hitting  you,  or 
the  chance  of  your  hitting  him." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  45 

"I  look  upon  the  red  men  to  be  quite  as  human  as  we 
are  ourselves,  Hurry.  They  have  their  gifts,  and  their 
religion,  it's  true;  but  that  makes  no  difference  in  the 
end,  when  each  will  be  judged  according  to  his  deeds,  and 
not  according  to  his  skin." 

"That's  downright  missionary,  and  will  find  little 
favor  up  in  this  part  of  the  country,  where  the  Moravians 
don't  congregate.  Now,  skin  makes  the  man.  This  is 
reason ;  else  how  are  people  to  judge  of  each  other.  The 
skin  is  put  on,  over  all,  in  order  that  when  a  creatur',  or 
a  mortal,  is  fairly  seen,  you  may  know  at  once  what  to 
make  of  him.  You  know  a  bear  from  a  hog,  by  his  skin, 
and  a  gray  squirrel  from  a  black." 

"True,  Hurry,"  said  the  other,  looking  back  and  smil 
ing,  "nevertheless,  they  are  both  squirrels." 

'  'Who  denies  it?  But  you'll  not  say  that  a  red  man  and 
a  white  man  are  both  Injins?" 

"No;  but  I  do  say  they  are  both  men.  Men  of  different 
races  and  colors,  and  having  different  gifts  and  traditions, 
but,  in  the  main  with  the  same  natur'.  Both  have  souls; 
and  both  will  be  held  accountable  for  their  deeds  in  this 
life." 

Hurry  was  one  of  those  theorists  who  believed  in  the 
inferiority  of  all  the  human  race  who  were  not  white. 
His  notions  on  the  subject  were  not  very  clear,  nor  were 
his  definitions  at  all  well  settled;  but  his  opinions  were 
none  the  less  dogmatical  or  fierce.  His  conscience  accused 
him  of  sundry  lawless  acts  against  the  Indians,  and  he 
had  found  it  an  exceedingly  easy  mode  of  quieting  it,  by 
putting  the  whole  family  of  red  men,  incontinently,  with 
out  the  category  of  human  rights.  Nothing  angered  him 
sooner  than  to  deny  his  proposition,  more  especially  if 
the  denial  were  accompanied  by  show  of  plausible  argu 
ment;  and  he  did  not  listen  to  his  companions  remark 
with  much  composure  of  either  manner  or  feeling. 

"You're  a  boy,  Deerslayer,  misled  and  misconsaited  by 
Delaware  arts,  and  missionary  ignorance,"  he  exclaimed, 
with  his  usual  indifference  to  the  forms  of  speech,  when 
excited.  "You  may  account  yourself  as  a  red-skin's 
brother,  but  I  hold  'em  all  to  be  animals;  with  nothing 
human  about  'em  but  cunning.  That  they  have,  I'll  allow; 


46 

but  so  has  a  fox,  or  even  a  bear.  I'm  older  than  you,  and 
have  lived  longer  in  the  woods — or,  for  that  matter,  have 
lived  always  there,  and  am  not  to  be  told  what  an  Injin  is 
or  what  he  is  not.  If  you  wish  to  be  considered  a  savage, 
you've  only  to  say  so,  and  I'll  name  you  as  such  to  Judith 
and  the  old  man,  and  then  we'll  see  how  you'll  like  your 
welcome. ' ' 

Here  Hurry's  imagination  did  his  temper  some  service, 
since,  by  conjuring  up  the  reception  his  semi-aquatic 
acquaintance  would  be  likely  to  bestow  on  one  thus  intro 
duced,  he  burst  into  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter.  Deerslayer, 
too,  well  knew  the  uselessness  of  attempting  to  convince 
such  a  being  of  anything  against  his  prejudices,  to  feel  a 
desire  to  undertake  the  task;  and  he  was  not  sorry  that 
the  approach  of  the  canoe  to  the  southeastern  curve  of  the 
lake  gave  a  new  direction  to  his  ideas.  They  were  now, 
indeed,  quite  near  the  place  that  March  had  pointed  out 
for  the  position  of  the  outlet,  and  both  began  to  look  for 
it  with  a  curiosity  that  was  increased  by  the  expectation 
of  finding  the  ark. 

It  may  strike  the  reader  as  a  little  singular,  that  the 
place  where  a  stream  of  any  size  passed  through  banks 
that  had  an  elevation  of  some  twenty  feet,  should  be  a 
matter  of  doubt  with  men  who  could  not  now  have  been 
more  than  two  hundred  yards  distant  from  the  precise 
spot.  It  will  be  recollected,  however,  that  the  trees  and 
bushes  here,  as  elsewhere,  fairly  overhung  the  water, 
making  such  a  fringe  to  the  lake,  as  to  conceal  any  little 
variations  from  its  general  outline. 

"I've  not  been  down  at  this  end  of  the  lake  these  two 
summers,"  said  Hurry,  standing  up  in  the  canoe,  the 
better  to  look  about  him.  "Ay,  there's  the  rock,  showing 
its  chin  above  the  water,  and  I  know  that  the  river  begins 
in  its  neighborhood." 

The  men  now  plied  the  paddles  again,  and  they  were 
presently  within  a  few  yards  of  the  rock,  floating  towards 
it,  though  their  efforts  were  suspended.  This  rock  was 
not  large,  being  merely  some  five  or  six  feet  high,  only 
half  of  which  elevation  rose  above  the  lake.  The  incessant 
washing  of  the  water  for  centuries  had  so  rounded  its 
summit,  that  it  resembled  a  large  bee-hive  in  shape,  its 


THE   DEERSLAYER  47 

form  being  more  than  usually  regular  and  even.  Hurry 
remarked,  as  they  floated  slowly  past,  that  this  rock  was 
well  known  to  all  the  Indians  in  that  part  of  the  country, 
and  that  they  were  in  the  practise  of  using  it  as  a  mark 
to  designate  the  place  of  meeting,  when  separated  by  their 
hunts  and  marches. 

"And  here  is  the  river,  Deerslayer,"  he  continued, 
"though  so  shut  in  by  trees  and  bushes  as  to  look  more 
like  an  and-bush,  than  the  outlet  of  such  a  sheet  as  the 
Glimmerglass. " 

Hurry  had  not  badly  described  the  place,  which  did 
truly  seem  to  be  a  stream  lying  in  ambush.  The  high 
banks  might  have  been  a  hundred  feet  asunder;  but,  on 
the  western  side,  a  small  bit  of  low  land  extended  so  far 
forward  as  to  diminish  the  breadth  of  the  stream  to  half 
that  width.  As  the  bushes  hung  in  the  water  beneath, 
and  pines  that  had  the  stature  of  church  steeples,  rose  in 
tall  columns  above,  all  inclining  towards  the  light,  until 
their  branches  intermingled,  the  eye,  at  a  little  distance, 
could  not  easily  detect  any  opening  in  the  shore,  to  mark 
the  egress  of  the  water.  In  the  forest  above,  no  traces 
of  this  outlet  were  to  be  seen  from  the  lake,  the  whole 
presenting  the  same  connected  and  seemingly  interminable 
carpet  of  leaves.  As  the  canoe  slowly  advanced,  sucked 
in  by  the  current,  it  entered  beneath  an  arch  of  trees, 
through  which  the  light  from  the  heavens  struggled  by 
casual  openings,  faintly  relieving  the  gloom  beneath. 

"This  is  a  nat'ral  and-bush,"1  half  whispered  Hurry, 
as  if  he  felt  that  the  place  was  devoted  to  secrecy  and 
watchfulness;  "depend  on  it,  old  Tom  has  burrowed  with 
the  ark  somewhere  in  this  quarter.  We  will  drop  down 
with  the  current  a  short  distance,  and  ferret  him  out." 

"This seems  no  place  for  a  vessel  of  any  size,"  returned 
the  other;  "it  appears  to  me  that  we  shall  have  hardly 
room  enough  for  the  canoe. ' ' 

Hurry  laughed  at  the  suggestion,  and,  as  it  soon  ap 
peared,  with  reason;  for  the  fringe  of  bushes  immediately 
on  the  shore  of  the  lake  was  no  sooner  passed,  than  the 
adventurers  found  themselves  in  a  narrow  stream,  of  a 

1  Ambush 


48  THE   DEERSLAYER 

sufficient  depth  of  limpid  water,  with  a  strong  current, 
and  a  canopy  of  leaves  upheld  by  arches  composed  of  the 
limbs  of  hoary  trees.  Bushes  lined  the  shores,  as  usual, 
but  they  left  sufficient  space  between  them  to  admit  the 
passage  of  anything  that  did  not  exceed  twenty  feet  in 
width,  and  to  allow  of  a  perspective  ahead  of  eight  or  ten 
times  that  distance. 

Neither  of  our  two  adventurers  used  his  paddle,  except 
to  keep  the  light  bark  in  the  center  of  the  current,  but 
both  watched  each  turning  of  the  stream,  of  which  there 
were  two  or  three  within  the  first  hundred  yards,  with 
jealous  vigilance.  Turn  after  turn,  however,  was  passed, 
and  the  canoe  had  dropped  down  with  the  current  some 
little  distance,  when  Hurry  caught  a  bush,  and  arrested 
its  movement  so  suddenly  and  silently  as  to  denote  some 
unusual  motive  for  the  act.  Deerslayer  laid  his  hand  on 
the  stock  of  his  rifle  as  soon  as  he  noted  this  proceeding; 
but  it  was  quite  as  much  with  a  hunter's  habit  as  from 
any  feeling  of  alarm. 

"There  the  old  fellow  is!"  whispered  Hurry,  pointing 
with  a  finger  and  laughing  heartily,  though  he  carefully 
avoided  making  a  noise,  "ratting  it  away,  just  as  I  sup 
posed;  up  to  his  knees  in  the  mud  and  water,  looking  to 
the  traps  and  the  bait.  But  for  the  life  of  me  I  can  see 
nothing  of  the  ark;  though  I'll  bet  every  skin  I  take  this 
season,  Jude  isn't  trusting  her  pretty  little  feet  in  the 
neighborhood  of  that  black  mud.  The  gal's  more  likely 
to  be  braiding  her  hair  by  the  side  of  some  spring,  where 
she  can  see  her  own  good  looks,  and  collect  scornful  feel 
ings  ag'in  us  men." 

"You  over-judge  young  women — yes,  you  do,  Hurry — 
who  as  often  bethink  them  of  their  failings  as  they  do  of 
their  perfections.  I  dare  to  say  this  Judith,  now,  is  no 
such  admirer  of  herself,  and  no  such  scorner  of  our  sex  as 
you  seem  to  think;  and  that  she  is  quite  as  likely  to  be 
sarving  her  father  in  the  house,  wherever  that  may  be,  as 
he  is  to  be  sarving  her  among  the  traps." 

"It's  a  pleasure  to  hear  truth  from  a  man's  tongue,  if 
it  be  only  once  in  a  girl's  life,"  cried  a  pleasant,  rich, 
and  yet  soft  female  voice,  so  near  the  canoe  as  to  make 
both  the  listeners  start.  "As  for  you,  Master  Hurry,  fair 


THE   DEERSLAYER  49 

words  are  so  apt  to  choke  you,  that  I  no  longer  expect  to 
hear  them  from  your  mouth;  the  last  you  uttered  sticking 
in  your  throat,  and  coming  near  to  death.  But  I'm  glad 
to  see  you  keep  better  society  than  formerly,  and  that  they 
who  know  how  to  esteem  and  treat  women  are  not  ashamed 
to  journey  in  your  company." 

As  this  was  said,  a  singularly  handsome  and  youthful 
female  face  was  thrust  through  an  opening  in  the  leaves, 
within  reach  of  Deerslayer's  paddle.  Its  owner  smiled 
graciously  on  the  young  man;  and  the  frown  that  she  cast 
on  Hurry,  though  simulated  and  pettish,  had  the  effect  to 
render  her  beauty  more  striking,  by  exhibiting  the  play 
of  an  expressive  but  capricious  countenance;  one  that 
seemed  to  change  from  the  soft  to  the  severe,  the  mirthful 
to  the  reproving,  with  facility  and  indifference. 

A  second  look  explained  the  nature  of  the  surprise. 
Unwittingly,  the  men  had  dropped  alongside  of  the  ark, 
which  had  been  purposely  concealed  in  bushes  cut  and 
arranged  for  the  purpose;  and  Judith  Hutter  had  merely 
pushed  aside  the  leaves  that  lay  before  a  window,  in  order 
to  show  her  face,  and  speak  to  them. 
4 


CHAPTER  IV 

"And  that  timid  f awn  starts  not  with  fear, 

When  I  steal  to  her  secret  bower  ; 
And  that  young  May  violet  to  me  is  dear, 
And  I  visit  the  silent  streamlet  near, 
To  look  on  the  lovely  flower." 

— BKYANT. 

THE  ark,  as  the  floating  habitation  of  the  Hutters  was 
generally  called,  was  a  very  simple  contrivance.  A  large 
flat,  or  scow,  composed  the  buoyant  part  of  the  vessel; 
and  in  its  center,  occupying  the  whole  of  its  breadth,  and 
about  two-thirds  of  its  length,  stood  a  low  fabric,  re 
sembling  the  castle  in  construction,  though  made  of 
materials  so  light  as  barely  to  be  bullet-proof.  As  the 
sides  of  the  scow  were  a  little  higher  than  usual,  and  the 
interior  of  the  cabin  had  no  more  elevation  than  was 
necessary  for  comfort,  this  unusual  addition  had  neither 
a  very  clumsy  nor  a  very  obtrusive  appearance.  It  was, 
in  short,  little  more  than  a  modern  canal-boat,  though 
more  rudely  constructed,  of  greater  breadth  than  common, 
and  bearing  about  it  the  signs  of  the  wilderness,  in  its 
bark-covered  posts  and  roof.  The  scow,  however,  had 
been  put  together  with  some  skill,  being  comparatively 
light,  for  its  strength,  and  sufficiently  manageable.  The 
cabin  was  divided  into  two  apartments,  one  of  which 
served  for  a  parlor,  and  the  sleeping-room  of  the  father, 
and  the  other  was  appropriated  to  the  uses  of  the  daugh 
ters.  A  very  simple  arrangement  sufficed  for  the  kitchen 
which  was  in  one  end  of  the  scow,  and  removed  from  the 
cabin,  standing  in  the  open  air;  the  ark  being  altogether 
a  summer  habitation. 

The  "and-bush,"  as  Hurry  in  his  ignorance  of  English 
termed  it,  is  quite  as  easily  explained.  In  many  parts  of 
the  lake  and  river,  where  the  banks  were  steep  and  high, 
the  smaller  trees  and  larger  bushes,  as  has  been  already 
mentioned,  fairly  overhung  the  stream,  their  branches  not 
unfrequently  dipping  into  the  water.  In  some  instances 

50 


THE   DEERSLAYER  51 

they  grew  out  in  nearly  horizontal  lines,  for  thirty  or 
forty  feet.  The  water  being  uniformly  deepest  near  the 
shores,  where  the  banks  were  highest  and  the  nearest  to 
a  perpendicular,  Hutter  had  found  no  difficulty  in  letting 
the  ark  drop  under  one  of  these  covers,  where  it  had  been 
anchored  with  a  view  to  conceal  its  position;  security 
requiring  some  such  precautions,  in  his  view  of  the  case. 
Once  beneath  the  trees  and  bushes,  a  few  stones  fastened 
to  the  ends  of  the  branches  had  caused  them  to  bend  suffi 
ciently  to  dip  into  the  river;  and  a  few  severed  bushes, 
properly  disposed,  did  the  rest.  The  reader  has  seen  that 
this  cover  was  so  complete  as  to  deceive  two  men  accus 
tomed  to  the  woods,  and  who  were  actually  in  search  of 
those  it  concealed;  a  circumstance  that  will  be  easily  un 
derstood  by  those  who  are  familiar  with  the  matted  and 
wild  luxuriance  of  a  virgin  American  forest,  more  espe 
cially  in  a  rich  soil. 

The  discovery  of  the  ark  produced  very  different  effects 
on  our  two  adventurers.  As  soon  as  the  canoe  could  be 
got  round  to  the  proper  opening,  Hurry  leaped  on  board, 
and  in  a  minute  was  closely  engaged  in  a  gay,  and  a  sort 
of  recriminating  discourse  with  Judith,  apparently  for 
getful  of  the  existence  of  all  the  rest  of  the  world.  Not 
so  with  Deerslayer.  He  entered  the  ark  with  a  slow, 
cautious  step,  examining  every  arrangement  of  the  cover 
with  curious  and  scrutinizing  eyes.  It  is  true,  he  cast  one 
admiring  glance  at  Judith,  which  was  extorted  by  her 
brilliant  and  singular  beauty;  but  even  this  could  detain 
him  but  a  single  instant  from  the  indulgence  of  his  inter 
est  in  Hutter's  contrivances.  Step  by  step  did  he  look  into 
the  construction  of  the  singular  abode,  investigate  its 
fastenings  and  strength,  ascertain  its  means  of  defense, 
and  make  every  inquiry  that  would  be  likely  to  occur  to 
one  whose  thoughts  dwelt  principally  on  such  expedients. 
Nor  was  the  cover  neglected.  Of  this  he  examined  the 
whole  minutely,  his  commendation  escaping  him  more 
than  once,  in  audible  comments.  Frontier  usages  admit 
ting  of  this  familiarity,  he  passed  through  the  rooms  as 
he  had  previously  done  at  the  castle;  and,  opening  a  door, 
issued  into  the  end  of  the  scow  opposite  to  that  where  he 
had  left  Hurry  and  Judith.  Here  he  found  the  other 


52  THE    DEERSLAYER 

sister,  employed  on  some  coarse  needlework,  seated  be 
neath  the  leafy  canopy  of  the  cover. 

As  Deerslayer's  examination  was  by  this  time  ended,  he 
dropped  the  butt  of  his  rifle,  and,  leaning  on  the  barrel 
with  both  hands,  he  turned  towards  the  girl  with  an  in 
terest  the  singular  beauty  of  her  sister  had  not  awakened. 
He  had  gathered  from  Hurry's  remarks  that  Hetty  was 
considered  to  have  less  intellect  than  ordinarily  falls  to 
the  share  of  human  beings;  and  his  education  among 
Indians  had  taught  him  to  treat  those  who  were  thus 
afflicted  by  Providence,  with  more  than  common  tender 
ness.  Nor  was  there  anything  in  Hetty  Hutter's  appear 
ance,  as  so  often  happens,  to  weaken  the  interest  her 
situation  excited.  An  idiot  she  could  not  properly  be 
termed,  her  mind  being  just  enough  enfeebled  to  lose 
most  of  those  traits  that  are  connected  with  the  more  art 
ful  qualities,  and  to  retain  its  ingenuousness  and  love  of 
truth.  It  had  often  been  remarked  of  this  girl,  by  the 
few  who  had  seen  her,  and  who  possessed  sufficient 
knowledge  to  discriminate,  that  her  perception  of  the 
right  seemed  almost  intuitive,  while  her  aversion  to  the 
wrong  formed  so  distinctive  a  feature  of  her  mind,  as  to 
surround  her  with  an  atmosphere  of  pure  morality;  pecu 
liarities  that  are  not  unfrequent  with  persons  who  are 
termed  feeble-minded;  as  if  God  had  forbidden  the  evil 
spirits  to  invade  a  precinct  so  defenseless,  with  the  benign 
purpose  of  extending  a  direct  protection  to  those  who  had 
been  left  without  the  usual  aids  of  humanity.  Her  person, 
too,  was  agreeable,  having  a  strong  resemblance  to  that  of 
her  sister,  of  which  it  was  a  subdued  and  humble  copy. 
If  it  had  none  of  the  brilliancy  of  Judith's,  the  calm, 
quiet,  almost  holy  expression  of  her  meek  countenance, 
seldom  failed  to  win  on  the  observer;  and  few  noted  it 
long,  that  did  not  begin  to  feel  a  deep  and  lasting  interest 
in  the  girl.  She  had  no  color,  in  common,  nor  was  her 
simple  mind  apt  to  present  images  that  caused  her  cheek 
to  brighten;  though  she  retained  a  modesty  so  innate,  that 
it  almost  raised  her  to  the  unsuspecting  purity  of  a  being 
superior  to  human  infirmities.  Guileless,  innocent,  and 
without  distrust,  equally  by  nature  and  from  her  mode  of 
life,  Providence  had,  nevertheless,  shielded  her  from  harm 


THE   DEERSLAYER  53 

by  a  halo  of  moral  light,  as  it  is  said  "to  temper  the  wind 
to  the  shorn  lamb. ' ' 

"You  are  Hetty  Hutter,"  said  Deerslayer,  in  the  way 
one  puts  a  question  unconsciously  to  himself,  assuming  a 
kindness  of  tone  and  manner  that  were  singularly  adapted 
to  win  the  confidence  of  her  he  addressed.  "Hurry  Harry 
has  told  me  of  you,  and  I  know  you  must  be  the  child?" 

"Yes,  I'm  Hetty  Hutter,"  returned  the  girl,  in  a  low, 
sweet  voice,  which  nature,  aided  by  some  education,  had 
preserved  from  vulgarity  of  tone  and  utterance;  "I'm 
Hetty;  Judith  Hutter's  sister,  and  Thomas  Hutter's 
youngest  daughter." 

"I  know  your  history,  then,  for  Hurry  Harry  talks 
considerable,  and  he  is  free  of  speech,  when  he  can  find 
other  people's  consarns  to  dwell  on.  You  pass  most  of 
your  life  on  the  lake,  Hetty." 

"Certainly.  Mother  is  dead;  father  is  gone  a-trapping, 
and  Judith  and  I  stay  at  home.  What's  your  name?" 

"That's  a  question  more  easily  asked  than  it  is  an 
swered,  young  woman;  seeing  that  I'm  so  young,  and  yet 
have  borne  more  names  than  some  of  the  greatest  chiefs 
in  all  America." 

"But  you've  got  a  name — you  don't  throw  away  one 
name  before  you  come  honestly  by  another?" 

"I  hope  not,  gal — I  hope  not.  My  names  have  come 
nat'rally;  and  I  suppose  the  one  I  bear  now  will  be  of  no 
great  lasting,  since  the  Delawares  seldom  settle  on  a  man's 
ra'al  title,  until  such  time  as  he  has  an  opportunity  of 
showing  his  true  natur',  in  the  council  or  on  the  war 
path;  which  has  never  behappened  me;  seeing,  firstly, 
because  I'm  not  born  a  red-skin,  and  have  no  right  to  sit 
in  their  councilings,  and  am  much  too  humble  to  be  called 
on  for  opinions  from  the  great  of  my  own  color;  and, 
secondly,  because  this  is  the  first  war  that  has  befallen  in 
my  time,  and  no  inimy  has  yet  inroaded  far  enough  into 
the  colony  to  be  reached  by  an  arm  even  longer  than 
mine." 

"Tell  me  your  names,"  added  Hetty,  looking  up  at  him 
artlessly,  "and,  maybe,  I'll  tell  you  your  character." 

"There  is  some  truth  in  that,  I'll  not  deny,  though  it 
often  fails.  Men  are  deceived  in  other  men's  characters, 


54  THE   DEERSLAYER 

and  frequently  give  'em  names  they  by  no  means  desarve. 
You  can  see  the  truth  of  this  in  the  Mingo  names,  which, 
in  their  own  tongue,  signify  the  same  things  as  the 
Delaware  names — at  least,  so  they  tell  me,  for  I  know 
little  of  that  tribe,  unless  it  be  by  report — and  no  one 
can  say  they  are  as  honest  or  as  upright  a  nation.  I  put 
no  great  dependence,  therefore,  on  names. ' ' 

"Tell  me  all  your  names,"  repeated  the  girl,  earnestly, 
for  her  mind  was  too  simple  to  separate  things  from 
professions,  and  she  did  attach  importance  to  a  name;  "I 
want  to  know  what  to  think  of  you." 

"Well,  sartain;  I've  no  objection,  and  you  shall  hear 
them  all.  In  the  first  place,  then,  I'm  Christian,  and 
white-born,  like  yourself,  and  my  parents  had  a  name 
that  came  down  from  father  to  son,  as  is  a  part  of  their 
gifts.  My  father  was  called  Bumppo;  and  I  was  named 
after  him,  of  course,  the  given  name  being  Nathaniel,  or 
Natty,  as  most  people  saw  fit  to  tarm  it. ' ' 

"Yes,  yes — Natty — and  Hetty" — interrupted  the  girl 
quickly,  and  looking  up  from  her  work  again,  with  a 
smile:  "you  are  Natty,  and  I'm  Hetty — though  you  are 
Bumppo,  and  I'm  Hutter.  Bumppo  isn't  as  pretty  as 
Hutter,  is  it?" 

"Why,  that's  as  people  fancy.  Bumppo  has  no  lofty 
sound,  I  admit;  and  yet  men  have  bumped  through  the 
world  with  it.  I  did  not  go  by  this  name,  howsever, 
very  long;  for  the  Delawares  soon  found  out,  or  thought 
they  found  out,  that  I  was  not  given  to  lying,  and  they 
called  me,  firstly,  Straight-tongue." 

"That's  a  good  name,"  interrupted  Hetty,  earnestly, 
and  in  a  positive  manner;  "don't  tell  me  there's  no  virtue 
in  names!" 

"I  do  not  say  that,  for  perhaps  I  desarved  to  be  so 
called,  lies  being  no  favorites  with  me,  as  they  are  with 
some.  After  a  while  they  found  out  that  I  was  quick  of 
foot,  and  then  they  called  me  'The  Pigeon' ;  which,  you 
know,  has  a  swift  wing,  and  flies  in  a  direct  line." 

"That  was  a  pretty  name!"  exclaimed  Hetty;  "pigeons 
are  pretty  birds!" 

"Most  things  that  God  has  created  are  pretty  in  their 
way,  my  good  gal,  though  they  get  to  be  deformed  by 


THE   DEERSLAYER  55 

mankind,  so  as  to  change  their  natur's,  as  well  as  their 
appearance.  From  carrying  messages,  and  striking  blind 
trails,  I  got  at  last  to  following  the  hunters,  when  it  was 
thought  I  was  quicker  and  surer  at  finding  the  game  than 
most  lads,  and  then  they  called  me  the  'Lap-ear';  as,  they 
said,  I  partook  of  the  sagacity  of  a  hound." 

"That's  not  so  pretty,"  answered  Hetty;  "I  hope  you 
didn't  keep  that  name  long." 

"Not  after  I  was  rich  enough  to  buy  a  rifle,"  returned 
the  other,  betraying  a  little  pride  through  his  usually 
quiet  and  subdued  manner;  "then  it  was  seen  I  could  keep 
a  wigwam  in  ven'son;  and  in  time  I  got  the  name  of 
'Deerslayer',  which  is  that  I  now  bear;  homely  as  some 
will  think  it,  who  set  more  valie  on  the  scalp  of  a  fellow- 
mortal  than  on  the  horns  of  a  buck. ' ' 

"Well,  Deerslayer,  I'm  not  one  of  them,"  answered 
Hetty,  simply;  "Judith  likes  soldiers,  and  flary  coats,  and 
fine  feathers;  but  they're  all  naught  to  me.  She  says  the 
officers  are  great,  and  gay,  and  of  soft  speech;  but  they 
make  me  shudder,  for  their  business  is  to  kill  their  fellow- 
creatures.  I  like  your  calling  better;  and  your  last  name 
is  a  very  good  one — better  than  Natty  Bumppo." 

"This  is  nat'ral  in  one  of  your  turn  of  mind,  Hetty, 
and  much  as  I  should  have  expected.  They  tell  me  your 
sister  is  handsome — oncommon,  for  a  mortal;  and  beauty 
is  apt  to  seek  admiration." 

"Did  you  never  see  Judith?"  demanded  the  girl,  with 
quick  earnestness;  "if  you  never  have,  go  at  once  and 
look  at  her.  Even  Hurry  Harry  isn't  more  pleasant  to  look 
at;  though  she  is  a  woman,  and  he  is  a  man." 

Deerslayer  regarded  the  girl  for  a  moment  with  concern. 
Her  pale  face  had  flushed  a  little,  and  her  eye,  usually  so 
mild  and  serene,  brightened  as  she  spoke,  in  the  way  to 
betray  the  inward  impulses. 

"Ay,  Hurry  Harry,"  he  muttered  to  himself,  as  he 
walked  through  the  cabin  towards  the  other  end  of  the 
boat;  "this  comes  of  good  looks,  if  a  light  tongue  has 
had  no  consarn  in  it.  It's  easy  to  see  which  way  that 
poor  creatur's  feelin's  are  leanin',  whatever  may  be  the 
case  with  your  Jude's. " 

But  an  interruption  was  put  to  the  gallantry  of  Hurry, 


56  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  coquetry  of  his  mistress,  the  thoughts  of  Deerslayer, 
and  the  gentle  feelings  of  Hetty,  by  the  sudden  appearance 
of  the  canoe  of  the  ark's  owner,  in  the  narrow  opening 
among  the  bushes  that  served  as  a  sort  of  moat  to  his 
position.  It  would  seem  that  Hutter,  or  Floating  Tom, 
as  he  was  familiarly  called  by  all  the  hunters  who  knew 
his  habits,  recognized  the  canoe  of  Hurry,  for  he  expressed 
no  surprise  at  finding  him  in  the  scow.  On  the  contrary, 
his  reception  was  such  as  to  denote  not  only  gratification, 
but  a  pleasure,  mingled  with  a  little  disappointment  at 
his  not  having  made  his  appearance  some  days  sooner. 

"I  looked  for  you  last  week,"  he  said,  in  a  half-grum 
bling,  half -welcoming  manner;  "and  was  disappointed 
uncommonly  that  you  didn't  arrive.  There  came  a  runner 
through,  to  warn  all  the  trappers  and  hunters  that  the 
colony  and  the  Canadas  were  again  in  trouble;  and  I  felt 
lonesome,  up  in  these  mountains,  with  three  scalps  to  see 
to,  and  only  one  pair  of  hands  to  protect  them." 

"That's  reasonable,"  returned  March;  "and  'twas  feel 
ing  like  a  parent.  No  doubt,  if  I  had  two  such  darters  as 
Judith  and  Hetty,  my  exper'ence  would  tell  the  same 
story,  though  in  gin'ral  I  am  just  as  well  satisfied  with 
having  the  nearest  neighbor  fifty  miles  off,  as  when  he  is 
within  call." 

"Notwithstanding,  you  didn't  choose  to  come  into  the 
wilderness  alone,  now  you  knew  that  the  Canada  savages 
are  likely  to  be  stirring,"  returned  Hutter,  giving  a  sort 
of  distrustful,  and  at  the  same  time  inquiring  glance  at 
Deerslayer. 

"Why  should  I?  They  say  a  bad  companion,  on  a 
journey,  helps  to  shorten  the  path;  and  this  young  man  I 
account  to  be  a  reasonably  good  one.  This  is  Deerslayer, 
old  Tom,  a  noted  hunter  among  the  Delawares,  and 
Christian-born,  and  Christian-edicated,  too,  like  you  and 
me.  The  lad  is  not  parfect,  perhaps,  but  there's  worse 
men  in  the  country  that  he  came  from,  and  it's  likely 
he'll  find  some  that's  no  better,  in  this  part  of  the  world. 
Should  we  have  occasion  to  defend  our  traps,  and  the 
territory,  he'll  be  useful  in  feeding  us  all;  for  he's  a 
reg'lar  dealer  in  ven'son." 

"Young  man,  you  are  welcome,"  growled  Tom,  thrust- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  57 

ing  a  hard,  bony  hand  towards  the  youth,  as  a  pledge  of 
his  sincerity;  "in  such  times,  a  white  face  is  a  friend's, 
and  I  count  on  you  as  a  support.  Children  sometimes 
make  a  stout  heart  feeble,  and  these  two  daughters  of 
mine  give  me  more  concern  than  all  my  traps,  and  skins, 
and  rights  in  the  country. ' ' 

"That's  nat'ral!"  cried  Hurry.  "Yes,  Deerslayer,  you 
and  I  don't  know  it  yet  by  experience;  but,  on  the  whole, 
I  consider  that  as  nat'ral.  If  we  had  darters,  it's  more 
than  probable  we  should  have  some  such  feelin's;  and  I 
honor  the  man  that  owns  'em.  As  for  Judith,  old  man,  I 
enlist,  at  once,  as  her  soldier,  and  here  is  Deerslayer  to 
help  you  to  take  care  of  Hetty." 

"Many  thanks  to  you,  Master  March,"  returned  the 
beauty,  in  a  full,  rich  voice,  and  with  an  accuracy  of  in 
tonation  and  utterance  that  she  shared  in  common  with 
her  sister,  and  which  showed  that  she  had  been  better 
taught  than  her  father's  life  and  appearance  would  give 
reason  to  expect;  "many  thanks  to  you;  but  Judith  Hut- 
ter  has  the  spirit  and  the  experience  that  will  make  her 
depend  more  on  herself  than  on  good-looking  rovers  like 
you.  Should  there  be  need  to  face  the  savages,  do  you 
land  with  my  father,  instead  of  burrowing  in  the  huts 
under  the  show  of  defending  us  females,  and — 

"Girl — girl,"  interrupted  the  father,  "quiet  that  glib 
tongue  of  thine,  and  hear  the  truth.  There  are  savages 
on  the  lake  shore  already,  and  no  man  can  say  how  near 
to  us  they  may  be  at  this  very  moment,  or  when  we  may 
hear  more  from  them ! ' ' 

"If  this  be  true,  Master  Hutter, "  said  Hurry,  whose 
change  of  countenance  denoted  how  serious  he  deemed  the 
information,  though  it  did  not  denote  any  unmanly  alarm, 
"if  this  be  true,  your  ark  is  in  a  most  misfortunate  posi 
tion,  for,  though  the  cover  did  deceive  Deerslayer  and 
myself,  it  would  hardly  be  overlooked  by  a  full-blooded 
Injin,  who  was  out  seriously  in  s'arch  of  scalps!" 

"I  think  as  you  do,  Hurry,  and  wish,  with  all  my  heart, 
we  lay  anywhere  else,  at  this  moment,  than  in  this  nar 
row,  crooked  stream,  which  has  many  advantages  to  hide 
in,  but  which  is  almost  fatal  to  them  that  are  discovered. 
The  savages  are  near  us,  moreover,  and  the  difficulty  is 


58  THE   DEERSLAYER 

to  get   out  of  the  river  without  being  shot  down   like 
deer  standing  at  a  lick!" 

"Are  you  sartain,  Master  Hutter,  that  the  red-skins  you 
dread  are  ra'al  Canadas?"  asked  Deerslayer,  in  a  modest 
but  earnest  manner.  "Have  you  seen  any,  and  can  you 
describe  their  paint?" 

"I  have  fallen  in  with  the  signs  of  their  being  in  the 
neighborhood,  but  have  seen  none  of  'em.  I  was  down 
stream  a  mile  or  so,  looking  to  my  traps,  when  I  struck  a 
fresh  trail,  crossing  the  corner  of  a  swamp,  and  moving 
northward.  The  man  had  not  passed  an  hour;  and  I  know'd 
it  for  an  Indian  footstep,  by  the  size  of  the  foot,  and  the 
intoe,  even  before  I  found  a  worn  moccasin,  which  its 
owner  had  dropped  as  useless.  For  that  matter,  I  found 
the  spot  where  he  halted  to  make  a  new  one,  which  was 
only  a  few  yards  from  the  place  where  he  had  dropped  the 
old  one." 

"That  doesn't  look  much  like  a  red-skin  on  the  war 
path!"  returned  the  other,  shaking  his  head.  "Anexper- 
'enced  warrior,  at  least,  would  have  burned,  or  buried,  or 
sunk  in  the  river  such  signs  of  his  passage;  and  your  trail 
is  quite  likely  a  peaceable  trail.  But  the  moccasin  may 
greatly  relieve  my  mind,  if  you  bethought  you  of  bringing 
it  off.  I've  come  here  to  meet  a  young  chief  myself;  and 
his  course  would  be  much  in  the  direction  you've  men 
tioned.  The  trail  may  have  been  his'n." 

"Hurry  Harry,  you're  well  acquainted  with  this  young 
man,  I  hope,  who  has  meetings  with  savages  in  a  part  of 
the  country  where  he  has  never  been  before?"  demanded 
Hutter,  in  a  tone  and  in  a  manner  that  sufficiently  indi 
cated  the  motive  of  the  question;  these  rude  beings  seldom 
hesitating,  on  the  score  of  delicacy,  to  betray  their  feel 
ings.  "Treachery  is  an  Indian  virtue;  and  the  whites,  that 
live  much  in  their  tribes,  soon  catch  their  ways  and 
practises. ' ' 

"True — true  as  the  Gospel,  old  Tom;  but  not  personable 
to  Deerslayer,  who's  a  young  man  of  truth,  if  he  has  no 
other  ricommend.  I'll  answer  for  his  honesty,  whatever 
I  may  do  for  his  valor  in  battle." 

"I  should  like  to  know  his  errand  in  this  strange  quar 
ter  of  the  country." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  59 

"That  is  soon  told,  Master  Butter,"  said  the  young 
man,  with  the  composure  of  one  who  kept  a  clean  con 
science.  "I  think,  moreover,  you've  a  right  to  ask  it 
The  father  of  two  such  darters,  who  occupies  a  lake  after 
your  fashion,  has  just  the  same  right  to  inquire  'into  a 
stranger's  business  in  his  neighborhood,  as  the  colony 
would  have  to  demand  the  reason  why  the  Trenchers  put 
more  rijiments  than  common  along  the  lines.  No,  no,  I'll 
not  deny  your  right  to  know  why  a  stranger  comes  'into 
your  habitation  or  country,  in  times  as  serious  as  these." 

"If  such  is  your  way  of  thinking,  friend,  let  me  hear 
your  story  without  more  words. ' ' 

'Tis  soon  told,  as  I  said  afore;  and  shall  be  honestly 
told.  I'm  a  young  man,  and,  as  yet,  have  never  been  on 
a  war-path;  but  no  sooner  did  the  news  come  among  the 
Delawares,  that  wampum  and  a  hatchet  were  about  to  be 
sent  in  to  the  tribe,  than  they  wished  me  to  go  out  among 
the  people  of  my  own  color,  and  get  the  exact  state  of 
things  for  'em.  This  I  did,  and,  after  delivering  my  talk 
to  the  chiefs,  on  my  return,  I  met  an  officer  of  the  crown 
on  the  Schoharie,  who  had  moneys  to  send  to  some  of  the 
friendly  tribes,  that  live  farther  west.  This  was  thought 
a  good  occasion  for  Chingachgook,  a  young  chief  who  had 
never  struck  a  foe,  and  myself,  to  go  on  our  first  war-path 
in  company;  and  an  app'intment  was  made  for  us,  by  an 
old  Delaware,  to  meet  at  the  rock  near  the  foot  of  this 
lake.  I'll  not  deny  that  Chingachgook  has  another  object 
in  view,  but  it  has  no  consarn  with  any  here,  and  is  his 
secret,  and  not  mine;  therefore  I'll  say  no  more  about 
it." 

'  'Tis  something  about  a  young  woman,"  interrupted 
Judith,  hastily;  then  laughing  at  her  own  impetuosity, 
and  even  having  the  grace  to  color  a  little  at  the  manner 
in  which  she  had  betrayed  her  readiness  to  impute  such  a 
motive.  "If  'tis  neither  war  nor  a  hunt,  it  must  be 
love." 

"Ay,  it  comes  easy  for  the  young  and  handsome,  who 
hear  so  much  of  them  feelin's,  to  suppose  that  they  lie  at 
the  bottom  of  most  proceedin's;  but,  on  that  head,  I  say 
nothin'.  Chingachgook  is  to  meet  me  at  the  rock  an  hour 
afore  sunset  to-morrow  evening,  after  which  we  shall  go 


60  THE   DEERSLAYER 

our  way  together,  molesting  none  but  the  king's  inimies, 
who  are  lawfully  our  own.  Knowing  Hurry  of  old,  who 
once  trapped  in  our  hunting-grounds,  and  falling  in  with 
him  on  the  Schoharie,  just  as  he  was  on  the  p'int  of  start 
ing  for  his  summer  ha'nts,  we  agreed  to  journey  in  com 
pany;  not  so  much  from  fear  of  the  Mingoes  as  from  good 
fellowship,  and,  as  he  says,  to  shorten  a  long  road." 

"And  you  think  the  trail  I  saw  may  have  been  that  of 
your  friend,  ahead  of  his  time?"  said  Hutter. 

"That's  my  idee;  which  may  be  wrong,  but  which  may 
be  right.  If  I  saw  the  moccasin,  however,  I  could  tell  in  a 
minute  whether  it  is  made  in  the  Delaware  fashion  or 
not." 

"Here  it  is,  then,"  said  the  quick-witted  Judith,  who 
had  already  gone  to  the  canoe  in  quest  of  it;  "tell  us 
what  it  says;  friend  or  enemy.  You  look  honest;  and  I 
believe  all  you  say,  whatever  father  may  think." 

"That's  the  way  with  you,  Jude;  forever  finding  out 
friends,  wrhere  I  distrust  foes,"  grumbled  Tom;  "but, 
speak  out,  young  man,  and  tell  us  what  you  think  of  the 
moccasin." 

"That's  not  Delaware-made,"  returned  Deerslayer,  ex 
amining  the  worn  and  rejected  covering  for  the  foot  with 
a  cautious  eye;  "I'm  too  young  on  a  war-path  to  be  pos 
itive,  but  I  should  say  that  moccasin  has  a  northern  look, 
and  comes  from  beyond  the  great  lakes. ' ' 

"If  such  is  the  case,  we  ought  not  to  lie  here  a  minute 
longer  than  is  necessary,"  said  Hutter,  glancing  through 
the  leaves  of  his  cover,  as  if  he  already  distrusted  the 
presence  of  an  enemy  on  the  opposite  shore  of  the  narrow 
and  sinuous  stream.  "It  wants  but  an  hour  or  so  of  night, 
and  to  move  in  the  dark  will  be  impossible,  without  mak 
ing  a  noise  that  would  betray  us.  Did  you  hear  the  echo 
of  a  piece  in  the  mountains,  half-an-hour  since?" 

"Yes,  old  man,  and  heard  the  piece  itself,"  answrered 
Hurry,  who  now  felt  the  indiscretion  of  which  he  had 
been  guilty,  "for  the  last  was  fired  from  my  own  shoulder. ' ' 

"I  feared  it  came  from  the  French  Indians;  still  it  may 
put  them  on  the  lookout,  and  be  a  means  of  discovering 
us.  You  did  wrong  to  fire  in  war-time,  unless  there  was 
good  occasion." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  61 

"So  I  begin  to  think  myself,  Uncle  Tom;  and  yet,  if  a 
man  can't  trust  himself  to  let  off  his  rifle  in  a  wilderness 
that  is  a  thousand  miles  square,  lest  some  inimy  should 
hear  it,  where's  the  use  in  carrying  one?" 

Hutter  now  held  a  long  consultation  with  his  two  guests 
in  which  the  parties  came  to  a  true  understanding  of  their 
situation.  He  explained  the  difficulty  that  would  exist  in 
attempting  to  get  the  ark  out  of  so  swift  and  narrow  a 
stream,  in  the  dark,  without  making  a  noise  that  could  not 
fail  to  attract  Indian  ears.  Any  strollers  in  their  vicinity 
would  keep  near  the  river  or  the  lake;  but  the  former  had 
swampy  shores  in  many  places,  and  was  both  so  crooked 
and  so  fringed  with  bushes,  that  it  was  quite  possible  to 
move  by  daylight  without  incurring  much  danger  of  being 
seen.  More  was  to  be  apprehended,  perhaps,  from  the  ear 
than  from  the  eye,  especially  as  long  as  they  were  in  the 
short,  straitened,  and  canopied  reaches  of  the  stream. 

"I  never  drop  down  into  this  cover,  which  is  handy  to 
my  traps,  and  safer  than  the  lake,  from  curious  eyes, 
without  providing  the  means  of  getting  out  ag'in,"  con 
tinued  this  singular  being;  "and  that  is  easier  done  by  a 
pull  than  a  push.  My  anchor  is  now  lying  above  the  suc 
tion,  in  the  open  lake;  and  here  is  a  line,  you  see,  to  haul 
us  up  to  it.  Without  some  such  help,  a  single  pair  of 
hands  would  make  heavy  work  in  forcing  a  scow  like  this 
up  stream.  I  have  a  sort  of  a  crab,  too,  that  lightens  the 
pull,  on  occasion.  Jude  can  use  the  oar  astarn  as  well  as 
myself;  and  when  we  fear  no  enemy,  to  get  out  of  the 
river  gives  us  but  little  trouble." 

"What  should  we  gain,  Master  Hutter,  by  changing  the 
position?"  asked  Deerslayer,  with  a  good  deal  of  earnest 
ness;  "this  is  a  safe  cover,  and  a  stout  defense  might  be 
made  from  the  inside  of  this  cabin.  I've  never  fou't 
unless  in  the  way  of  tradition;  but  it  seems  to  me  we 
might  beat  off  twenty  Mingoes,  with  palisades  like  them 
afore  us. ' ' 

"Ay,  ay;  you've  never  fought  except  in  traditions, 
that's  plain  enough,  young  man!  Did  you  ever  see  as 
broad  a  sheet  of  water  as  this  above  us,  before  you  came 
in  upon  it  with  Hurry?" 

"I  can't  say  that  I  ever  did,"  Deerslayer  answered, 


62  THE   DEERSLAYER 

modestly.  "Youth  is  the  time  to  Tarn;  and  I'm  far  from 
wishing  to  raise  my  voice  in  counsel,  afore  it  is  justified 
by  exper'ence. " 

"Well,  then,  I'll  teach  you  the  disadvantage  of  fighting 
in  this  position,  and  the  advantage  of  taking  to  the  open 
lake.  Here,  you  may  see,  the  savages  will  know  where  to 
aim  every  shot;  and  it  would  be  too  much  to  hope  that 
some  would  not  find  their  way  through  the  crevices  of 
the  logs.  Now,  on  the  other  hand  we  should  have  nothing 
but  a  forest  to  aim  at.  Then  we  are  not  safe  from  fire 
here,  the  bark  of  this  roof  being  little  better  than  so  much 
kindling  wood.  The  castle,  too,  might  be  entered  and 
ransacked  in  my  absence  and  all  my  possessions  overrun 
and  destroyed.  Once  in  the  lake,  we  can  be  attacked  only 
in  boats  or  on  rafts — shall  have  a  fair  chance  with  the 
enemy — and  can  protect  the  castle  with  the  ark.  Do  you 
understand  this  reasoning,  youngster?" 

"It  sounds  well — yes,  it  has  a  rational  sound;  and  I'll 
not  gainsay  it." 

"Well,  old  Tom,"  cried  Hurry,  "if  we  are  to  move, 
the  sooner  we  make  a  beginning,  the  sooner  we  shall 
know  whether  we  are  to  have  our  scalps  for  night-caps, 
or  not." 

As  this  proposition  was  self-evident,  no  one  denied  its 
justice.  The  three  men,  after  a  short  preliminary  ex 
planation,  now  set  about  their  preparations  to  move 
the  ark  in  earnest.  The  slight  fastenings  were  quickly 
loosened;  and,  by  hauling  on  the  line,  the  heavy  craft 
slowly  emerged  from  the  cover.  It  was  no  sooner  free 
from  the  incumbrance  of  the  branches,  than  it  swung  into 
the  stream,  sheering  quite  close  to  the  western  shore,  by 
the  force  of  the  current.  Not  a  soul  on  board  heard  the 
rustling  of  the  branches,  as  the  cabin  came  against  the 
bushes  and  trees  of  the  western  bank,  without  a  feeling 
of  uneasiness;  for  no  one  knew  at  what  moment,  or  in 
what  place,  a  secret  and  murderous  enemy  might  unmask 
himself.  Perhaps  the  gloomy  light  that  still  struggled 
through  the  impending  canopy  of  leaves,  or  found  its 
way  through  the  narrow,  ribbon-like  opening,  which 
seemed  to  mark,  in  the  air  above,  the  course  of  the  river 
that  flowed  beneath,  aided  in  augmenting  the  appearance 


THE  DEERSLAYER  63 

of  the  danger;  for  it  was  little  more  than  sufficient  to 
render  objects  visible,  without  giving  up  all  their  out 
lines  at  a  glance.  Although  the  sun  had  not  absolutely 
set,  it  had  withdrawn  its  direct  rays  from  the  valley  and 
the  hues  of  evening  were  beginning  to  gather  around 
objects  that  stood  uncovered,  rendering  those  within  the 
shadows  of  the  woods  still  more  somber  and  gloomy. 

No  interruption  followed  the  movement,  however,  and, 
as  the  men  continued  to  haul  on  the  line,  the  ark  passed 
steadily  ahead,  the  great  breadth  of  the  scow  preventing 
its  sinking  into  the  water,  and  from  offering  much  resis 
tance  to  the  progress  of  the  swift  element  beneath  its 
bottom.  Hutter,  too,  had  adopted  a  precaution  suggested 
by  experience,  which  might  have  done  credit  to  a  seaman 
and  which  completely  prevented  any  of  the  annoyances 
and  obstacles  which  otherwise  would  have  attended  the 
short  turn  of  the  river.  As  the  ark  descended,  heavy 
stones,  attached  to  the  line,  were  dropped  in  the  center 
of  the  stream,  forming  local  anchors,  each  of  which  was 
kept  from  dragging  by  the  assistance  of  those  above  it, 
until  the  uppermost  of  all  was  reached,  which  got  its 
"backing"  from  the  anchor,  or  grapnel,  that  lay  well 
out  in  the  lake.  In  consequence  of  this  expedient,  the 
ark  floated  clear  of  the  incumbrances  of  the  shore,  against 
which  it  would  otherwise  have  been  unavoidably  hauled 
at  every  turn,  producing  embarrassments  that  Hutter, 
single-handed,  would  have  found  it  very  difficult  to  over 
come. 

Favored  by  this  foresight,  and  stimulated  by  the  appre 
hension  of  discovery,  Floating  Tom  and  his  two  athletic 
companions  hauled  the  ark  ahead  with  quite  as  much 
rapidity  as  comported  with  the  strength  of  the  line.  At 
every  turn  in  the  stream,  a  stone  was  raised  from  the 
bottom,  when  the  direction  of  the  scow  changed  to  one 
that  pointed  towards  the  stone  that  lay  above.  In  this 
manner,  with  the  channel  buoyed  out  for  him,  as  a  sailor 
might  term  it,  did  Hutter  moved  forward,  occasionally 
urging  his  friends,  in  a  low  and  guarded  voice,  to  in 
crease  their  exertions,  and  then,  as  occasions  offered, 
warning  them  against  efforts  that  might,  at  particular 
moments,  endanger  all  by  too  much  zeal.  In  spite  of 


64  THE   DEERSLAYER 

their  long  familiarity  with  the  woods,  the  gloomy  char 
acter  of  the  shaded  river  added  to  the  uneasiness  that 
each  felt;  and  when  the  ark  reached  the  first  bend  in  the 
Susquehannah,  and  the  eye  caught  a  glimpse  of  the 
broader  expanse  of  the  lake,  all  felt  a  relief  that  perhaps 
none  would  have  been  willing  to  confess.  Here  the  last 
stone  was  raised  from  the  bottom,  and  the  line  led  directly 
towards  the  grapnel,  which  as  Hutter  had  explained,  was 
dropped  above  the  suction  of  the  current. 

"Thank  God!"  ejaculated  Hurry,  "there  is  daylight, 
and  we  shall  soon  have  a  chance  of  seeing  our  inimies,  if 
we  are  to  feel  'em." 

"That  is  more  than  you  or  any  man  can  say,"  growled 
Hutter.  "There  is  no  spot  so  likely  to  harbor  a  party  as 
the  shore  around  the  outlet,  and  the  moment  we  clear 
these  trees  and  get  into  open  water,  will  be  the  most  try 
ing  time,  since  it  will  leave  the  enemy  a  cover,  while  it 
puts  us  out  of  one.  Judith,  girl,  do  you  and  Hetty  leave 
the  oar  to  take  care  of  itself,  and  go  within  the  cabin; 
and  be  mindful  not  to  show  your  faces  at  a  window;  for 
they  who  will  look  at  them  won't  stop  to  praise  their 
beauty.  And  now,  Hurry,  we'll  step  into  this  outer  room 
ourselves,  and  haul  through  the  door,  where  we  shall  all 
be  safe,  from  a  surprise,  at  least.  Friend  Deerslayer,  as 
the  current  is  lighter,  and  the  line  has  all  the  strain  on 
it  that  is  prudent,  do  you  keep  moving  from  window  to 
window,  taking  care  not  to  let  your  head  be  seen,  if  you 
set  any  value  on  life.  No  one  knows  when  or  where  we 
shall  hear  from  our  neighbors. ' ' 

Deerslayer  complied,  with  a  sensation  that  had  nothing 
in  common  with  fear,  but  which  had  all  the  interest  of  a 
perfectly  novel  and  a  most  exciting  situation.  For  the 
first  time  in  his  life  he  was  in  the  vicinity  of  enemies,  or 
had  good  reason  to  think  so;  and  that,  too,  under  all  the 
thrilling  circumstances  of  Indian  surprises  and  Indian 
artifices.  As  he  took  his  stand  at  a  window,  the  ark  was 
just  passing  through  the  narrowest  part  of  the  stream,  a 
point  where  the  water  first  entered  what  was  properly 
termed  the  river,  and  where  the  trees  fairly  interlocked 
overhead,  causing  the  current  to  rush  into  an  arch  of 
verdure;  a  feature  as  appropriate  and  peculiar  to  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  65 

country,  perhaps,  as  that  of  Switzerland,  where  the  rivers 
come  rushing  literally  from  chambers  of  ice. 

The  ark  was  in  the  act  of  passing-  the  last  curve  of  this 
leafy  entrance,  as  Deerslayer,  having  examined  all  that 
could  be  seen  of  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river,  crossed  the 
room  to  look  from  the  opposite  window,  at  the  western. 
His  arrival  at  this  aperture  was  most  opportune,  for  he 
had  no  sooner  placed  his  eye  at  a  crack,  than  a  sight  met 
his  gaze  that  might  well  have  alarmed  a  sentinel  so  young 
and  inexperienced.  A  sapling  overhung  the  water,  in 
nearly  half  a  circle,  having  first  grown  towards  the  light, 
and  then  been  pressed  down  into  this  form  by  the  weight 
of  the  snows;  a  circumstance  of  common  occurrence  in 
the  American  woods.  On  this  no  less  than  six  Indians  had 
already  appeared,  others  standing  ready  to  follow  them, 
as  they  left  room;  each  evidently  bent  on  running  out  on 
the  trunk,  and  dropping  on  the  roof  of  the  ark  as  it  passed 
beneath.  This  would  have  been  an  exploit  of  no  great 
difficulty,  the  inclination  of  the  tree  admitting  of  an  easy 
passage,  the  adjoining  branches  offering  ample  support 
for  the  hands,  and  the  fall  being  too  trifling  to  be  appre 
hended.  When  Deerslayer  first  saw  this  party,  it  was 
just  unmasking  itself,  by  ascending  the  part  of  the  tree 
nearest  to  the  earth,  or  that  which  was  much  the  most 
difficult  to  overcome;  and  his  knowledge  of  Indian  habits 
told  him  at  once  that  they  were  all  in  their  war-paint, 
and  belonged  to  a  hostile  tribe. 

"Pull,  Hurry,"  he  cried;  "pull  for  your  life,  and  as 
you  love  Judith  Hutter!  Pull,  man,  pull!" 

This  call  was  made  to  one  that  the  young  man  knew 
had  the  strength  of  a  giant.  It  was  so  earnest  and  solemn, 
that  both  Hutter  and  March  felt  it  was  not  idly  given, 
and  they  applied  all  their  force  to  the  line  simultane 
ously,  and  at  a  most  critical  moment.  The  scow  redoubled 
its  motion,  and  seemed  to  glide  from  under  the  tree  as  if 
conscious  of  the  danger  that  was  impending  overhead. 
Perceiving  that  they  were  discovered,  the  Indians  uttered 
the  fearful  war-whoop,  and  running  forward  on  the  tree, 
leaped  desperately  towards  their  fancied  prize.  There 
were  six  on  the  tree,  and  each  made  the  effort.  All  but 
their  leader  fell  into  the  river  more  or  less  distant  from 
5 


66  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  ark,  as  they  came,  sooner  or  later,  to  the  leaping 
place.  The  chief,  who  had  taken  the  dangerous  post  in 
advance,  having  an  earlier  opportunity  than  the  others, 
struck  the  scow  just  within  the  stern.  The  fall  proving 
so  much  greater  than  he  had  anticipated,  he  was  slightly 
stunned,  and  for  a  moment  he  remained  half  bent  and  un 
conscious  of  his  situation.  At  this  instant  Judith  rushed 
from  the  cabin,  her  beauty  heightened  by  the  excitement 
that  produced  the  bold  act,  which  flushed  her  cheek  to 
crimson,  and,  throwing  all  her  strength  into  the  effort, 
she  pushed  the  intruder  over  the  edge  of  the  scow,  head 
long  into  the  river.  This  decided  feat  was  no  sooner  ac 
complished  than  the  woman  resumed  her  sway;  Judith 
looked  over  the  stern  to  ascertain  what  had  become  of 
the  man,  and  the  expression  of  her  eyes  softened  to  con 
cern;  next,  her  cheek  crimsoned  between  shame  and  sur 
prise,  at  her  own  temerity;  and  then  she  laughed  in  her 
own  merry  and  sweet  manner.  All  this  occupied  less  than 
a  minute,  when  the  arm  of  Deerslayer  was  thrown  around 
her  waist,  and  she  was  dragged  swiftly  within  the  pro 
tection  of  the  cabin.  This  retreat  was  not  effected  te& 
soon.  Scarcely  were  the  two  in  safety,  when  the  forest 
was  filled  with  yells,  and  bullets  began  to  patter  against 
the  logs. 

The  ark  being  in  swift  motion  all  this  while,  it  was 
beyond  the  danger  of  pursuit  by  the  time  these  little 
events  had  occurred ;  and  the  savages,  as  soon  as  the  first 
burst  of  their  anger  had  subsided,  ceased  firing,  with  the 
consciousness  that  they  were  expending  their  ammunition 
in  vain.  When  the  scow  came  up  over  her  grapnel,  Hut- 
ter  tripped  the  latter,  in  a  way  not  to  impede  the  motion; 
and  being  now  beyond  the  influence  of  the  current,  the 
vessel  continued  to  drift  ahead,  until  fairly  in  the  open 
lake,  though  still  near  enough  to  the  land  to  render  ex 
posure  to  a  rifle  bullet  dangerous.  Hutter  and  March  got 
out  two  small  sweeps,  and,  covered  by  the  cabin,  they 
soon  urged  the  ark  far  enough  from  the  shore  to  leave  no 
inducement  to  their  enemies  to  make  any  further  attempt 
to  injure  them. 


CHAPTER  V 

"Why,  let  the  stricken  deer  go  weep. 

The  hart  uncalled  play, 

For  some  must  watch,  while  some  must  sleep, 
Thus  runs  the  world  away." 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

ANOTHER  consultation  took  place  in  the  forward  part 
of  the  scow,  at  which  both  Judith  and  Hetty  were  present. 
As  no  danger  could  now  approach  unseen,  immediate  un 
easiness  had  given  place  to  the  concern  which  attended 
the  conviction  that  enemies  were,  in  considerable  force, 
on  the  shores  of  the  lake,  and  that  they  might  be  sure  no 
practicable  means  of  accomplishing  their  own  destruction 
would  be  neglected.  As  a  matter  of  course,  Hutter  felt 
these  truths  the  deepest,  his  daughters  having  an  habitual 
reliance  on  his  resources,  and  knowing  too  little  to  appre 
ciate  fully  all  the  risks  they  ran;  while  his  male  com 
panions  were  at  liberty  to  quit  him  at  any  moment  they 
saw  fit.  His  first  remark  showed  that  he  had  an  eye  to 
the  latter  circumstance,  and  might  have  betrayed,  to  a 
keen  observer,  the  apprehension  that  was  just  then  upper 
most. 

"We've  a  great  advantage  over  the  Iroquois,  or  the 
enemy,  whoever  they  are,  in  being  afloat,"  he  said. 
"There's  not  a  canoe  on  the  lake  that  I  don't  know  where 
it's  hid;  and  now  yours  is  here,  Hurry,  there  are  but 
three  more  on  the  land,  and  they're  so  snug  in  hollow 
logs  that  I  don't  believe  the  Indians  could  find  them,  let 
them  try  ever  so  long." 

"There's  no  telling  that — no  one  can  say  that,"  put  in 
Deerslayer;  "a  hound  is  not  more  sartain  on  the  scent 
than  a  red-skin,  when  he  expects  to  get  anything  by  it. 
Let  this  party  see  scalps  afore  'em,  or  plunder,  or  honor, 
accordin'  to  their  idees  of  what  honor  is,  and  'twill  be  a 
tight  log  that  hides  a  canoe  from  their  eyes." 

"You're  right,  Deerslayer,"  cried  Harry  March; 

67 


68  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"you're  downright  Gospel  in  this  matter,  and  I  rej'ice 
that  my  bunch  of  bark  is  safe  enough  here,  within  reach 
of  my  arm.  I  calcilate  they'll  be  at  all  the  rest  of  the 
canoes  afore  to-morrow  night,  if  they  are  in  ra'al  'arnest 
to  smoke  you  out,  old  Tom,  and  we  may  as  well  overhaul 
our  peddles  for  a  pull." 

Hutter  made  no  immediate  reply.  He  looked  about  him 
in  silence  for  quite  a  minute,  examining  the  sky,  the 
lake,  and  the  belt  of  forest  which  inclosed  it,  as  it  might 
be  hermetically,  like  one  consulting  their  signs.  Nor  did 
he  find  any  alarming  symptoms.  The  boundless  woods 
were  sleeping  in  the  deep  repose  of  nature,  the  heavens 
were  placid,  but  still  luminous  with  the  light  of  the  re 
treating  sun,  while  the  lake  looked  more  lovely  and  calm 
than  it  had  before  done  that  day.  It  was  a  scene  alto 
gether  soothing,  and  of  a  character  to  lull  the  passions 
into  a  species  of  holy  calm.  How  far  this  effect  was  pro 
duced,  however,  on  the  party  in  the  ark,  must  appear  in 
the  progress  of  our  narrative. 

"Judith,"  called  out  the  father,  when  he  had  taken 
this  close  but  short  survey  of  the  omens,  "night  is  at 
hand;  find  our  friends  food;  a  long  march  gives  a  sharp 
appetite." 

"We're  not  starving,  Master  Hutter,"  March  observed, 
"for  we  filled  up  just  as  we  reached  the  lake,  and  for 
one,  I  prefar  the  company  of  Jude  even  to  her  supper. 
This  quiet  evening  is  very  agreeable  to  sit  by  her  side." 

"Natur'  is  natur',"  objected  Hutter,  "and  must  be 
fed.  Judith,  see  to  the  meal,  and  take  your  sister  to  help 
you.  I've  a  little  discourse  to  hold  with  you,  friends,"  he 
continued,  as  soon  as  his  daughters  were  out  of  hearing, 
"and  wish  the  girls  away.  You  see  my  situation,  and  I 
should  like  to  hear  your  opinions  concerning  what  is  best 
to  be  done.  Three  times  have  I  been  burnt  out  already, 
but  that  was  on  the  shore;  and  I've  considered  myself  as 
pretty  safe  ever  since  I  got  the  castle  built,  and  the  ark 
afloat.  My  other  accidents,  however,  happened  in  peace 
able  times,  being  nothing  more  than  such  flurries  as  a 
man  must  meet  with,  in  the  woods;  but  this  matter  looks 
serious,  and  your  ideas  would  greatly  relieve  my  mind." 

"It's  my  notion,  old  Tom,  that  you,  and  your  huts,  and 


THE   DEERSLAYER  69 

your  traps,  and  your  whole  possessions,  hereaway,  are  in 
desperate  jippardy,"  returned  the  matter-of-fact  'Hurry 
who  saw  no  use  in  concealment.     "Accordin'  to  my  idees 
of  valie,  they're  altogether  not  worth  half  as  much  to-day 
as  they  was  yesterday,  nor  would  I  give  more  for  'em 
taking  the  pay  in  skins." 

"When  I've  children!"  continued  the  father,  making- 
the  allusion  in  a  way  that  it  might  have  puzzled  even  an 
indifferent  observer  to  say  was  intended  as  a  bait,  or  as 
an  exclamation  of  paternal  concern,  "daughters,  as  you 
know,  Hurry,  and  good  girls,  too,  I  may  say,  though  I  am 
their  father." 

"A  man  may  say  anything,  Master  Hutter,  particularly 
when  pressed  by  time  and  circumstances.  You've  darters, 
as  you  say,  and  one  of  them  hasn't  her  equal  on  the  fron 
tiers  for  good  looks,  whatever  she  may  have  for  good  be 
havior.  As  for  poor  Hetty,  she's  Hetty  Hutter,  and 
that's  as  much  as  one  can  say  about  the  poor  thing.  Give 
me  Jude,  if  her  conduct  was  only  equal  to  her  looks!" 

"I  see,  Harry  March,  I  can  only  count  on  you  as  a  fair- 
weather  friend;  and  I  suppose  that  your  companion  will 
be  of  the  same  way  of  thinking,"  returned  the  other, 
with  a  slight  show  of  pride,  that  was  not  altogether  with 
out  dignity;  "well,  I  must  depend  on  Providence,  which 
will  not  turn  a  deaf  ear,  perhaps,  to  a  father's  prayers." 

"If  you've  understood  Hurry,  here,  to  mean  that  he 
intends  to  desart  you,"  said  Deerslayer,  with  an  earnest 
simplicity  that  gave  double  assurance  of  its  truth,  "I 
think  you  do  him  injustice,  as  I  know  you  do  me,  in  sup 
posing  I  would  follow  him  was  he  so  ontrue-hearted  as 
to  leave  a  family  of  his  own  color  in  such  a  strait  as  this. 
I've  come  on  this  lake,  Master  Hutter,  to  rende'vous  a 
fr'ind,  and  I  only  wish  he  was  here  himself,  as  I  make 
no  doubt  he  will  be  at  sunset  to-morrow,  when  you'd 
have  another  rifle  to  aid  you;  an  inexper'enced  one,  I'll 
allow,  like  my  own,  but  one  that  has  proved  true  so  often 
ag'in  the  game,  big  and  little,  that  I'll  answer  for  its 
sarvice  agi'n  mortals." 

"May  I  depend  on  you  to  stand  by  me  and  my  daugh 
ters,  then,  Deerslayer?"  demanded  the  old  man,  with  a 
father's  anxiety  in  his  countenance. 


70  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"That  may  you,  Floating  Tom,  if  that's  your  name; 
and  as  a  brother  would  stand  by  a  sister,  a  husband  his 
wife,  or  a  suitor  his  sweetheart.  In  this  strait  you  may 
count  on  me,  through  all  advarsities;  and  I  think  Hurry 
does  discredit  to  his  natur'  and  wishes,  if  you  can't 
count  on  him. ' ' 

"Not  he,"  cried  Judith,  thrusting  her  handsome  face 
out  of  the  door;  "his  nature  is  hurry,  as  well  as  his 
name,  and  he'll  hurry  off,  as  soon  as  he  thinks  his  fine 
figure  in  danger.  Neither  'old  Tom,'  nor  his  'gals,'  will 
depend  much  on  Master  March,  now  they  know  him,  but 
you  they  will  rely  on,  Deerslayer;  for  your  honest  face 
and  honest  heart  tell  us  that  what  you  promise  you  will 
perform." 

This  was  said,  as  much,  perhaps,  in  affected  scorn  for 
Hurry,  as  in  sincerity.  Still,  it  was  not  said  without 
feeling.  The  fine  face  of  Judith  sufficiently  proved  the 
latter  circumstance;  and  if  the  conscious  March  fancied 
that  he  had  never  seen  in  it  a  stronger  display  of  con 
tempt — a  feeling  in  which  the  beauty  was  apt  to  indulge 
— than  while  she  was  looking  at  him,  it  certainly  seldom 
exhibited  more  of  womanly  softness  and  sensibility,  than 
when  her  speaking  blue  eyes  were  turned  on  his  traveling 
companion. 

"Leave  us,  Judith,"  Hutter  ordered  sternly,  before 
either  of  the  young  men  could  reply;  "leave  us;  and  do 
not  return  until  you  come  with  the  venison  and  fish.  The 
girl  has  been  spoilt  by  the  flattery  of  the  officers,  who 
sometimes  find  their  way  up  here,  Master  March,  and 
you'll  not  think  any  harm  of  her  silly  words." 

"You  never  said  truer  syllable,  old  Tom,"  retorted 
Hurry,  who  smarted  under  Judith's  observations;  "the 
devil-tongued  youngsters  of  the  garrison  have  proved  her 
undoing.  I  scarce  know  Jude  any  longer,  and  shall  soon 
take  to  admiring  her  sister,  who  is  getting  to  be  much 
more  to  my  fancy. ' ' 

"I'm  glad  to  hear  this,  Harry,  and  look  upon  it  as  a 
sign  that  you're  coming  to  your  right  senses.  Hetty 
would  make  a  much  safer  and  more  rational  companion 
than  Jude,  and  would  be  much  the  most  likely  to  listen 
to  your  suit,  as  the  officers  have,  I  greatly  fear,  unsettled 
her  sister's  mind." 


THE  DEERSLAYER  71 

"No  man  needs  a  safer  wife  than  Hetty,"  said  Hurry 
laughing,  "though  I'll  not  answer  for  her  being  of  the 
most  rational.  But  no  matter;  Deerslayer  has  not  mis 
conceived  me,  when  he  told  you  I  should  be  found  at  my 
post  I'll  not  quit  you,  Uncle  Tom,  just  now,  whatever 
may  be  my  feelin's  and  intentions  respecting  your  eldest 
darter." 

_  Hurry  had  a  respectable  reputation  for  prowess  among 
his  associates,  and  Hutter  heard  this  pledge  with  a  satis 
faction  that  was  not  concealed.  Even  the  great  personal 
strength  of  such  an  aid  became  of  moment,  in  moving  the 
ark,  as  well  as  in  the  species  of  hand-to-hand  conflicts, 
that  were  not  unfrequent  in  the  woods;  and  no  com 
mander  who  was  hard  pressed  could  feel  more  joy  at 
hearing  of  the  arrival  of  reinforcements,  than  the  bor 
derer  experienced  at  being  told  this  important  auxiliary 
was  not  about  to  quit  him.  A  minute  before,  Hutter 
would  have  been  well  content  to  compromise  his  danger, 
by  entering  into  a  compact  to  act  only  on  the  defensive; 
but  no  sooner  did  he  feel  some  security  on  this  point, 
than  the  restlessness  of  man  induced  him  to  think  of  the 
means  of  carrying  the  war  into  the  enemy's  country. 

"High  prices  are  offered  for  scalps  on  both  sides,"  he 
observed,  with  a  grim  smile,  as  if  he  felt  the  force  of  the 
inducement,  at  the  very  time  he  wished  to  affect  a  supe 
riority  to  earning  money  by  means  that  the  ordinary  feel 
ings  of  those  who  aspire  to  be  civilized  men  repudiated, 
even  while  they  were  adopted.  "It  isn't  right,  perhaps, 
to  take  gold  for  human  blood;  and  yet,  when  mankind  is 
busy  in  killing  one  another,  there  can  be  no  great  harm 
in  adding  a  little  bit  of  skin  to  the  plunder.  What's  your 
sentiments,  Hurry,  touching  these  p'ints?"1 

"That  you've  made  a  vast  mistake,  old  man,  in  calling 
savage  blood  human  blood,  at  tall.  I  think  no  more  of  a 
red-skin's  scalp  than  I  do  of  a  pair  of  wolf's  ears;  and 
would  just  as  lief  finger  money  for  the  one  as  for  the 
other.  With  white  people  'tis  different,  for  they've  a 
nat'ral  avarsion  to  being  scalped;  whereas  your  Indian 

1  In  1693  the  price  paid  for  a  scalp  was  ten  silver  crowns.  In  New  England 
£10,  £20  and  even  as  high  as  £50  was  paid.  In  1747,  New  York  paid  £10  for  a 
scalp. 


72  THE   DEERSLAYER 

shaves  his  head  in  readiness  for  the  knife,  and  leaves  a 
lock  of  hair  by  way  of  braggadocio,  that  one  can  lay  hold 
of  in  the  bargain." 

"That's  manly,  however,  and  I  felt  from  the  first  that 
we  had  only  to  get  you  on  our  side,  to  have  you  heart  and 
hand,"  returned  Tom,  losing  all  his  reserve,  as  he  gained 
a  renewed  confidence  in  the  disposition  of  his  companion. 
"Something  more  may  turn  up  from  this  inroad  of  the 
red-skins  than  they  bargained  for.  Deerslayer,  I  conclude 
you're  of  Hurry's  way  of  thinking,  and  look  upon  money 
a'rned  in  this  way  as  being  as  like  to  pass  as  money 
'arned  in  trapping  or  hunting." 

"  I've  no  such  feelin',  nor  any  wish  to  harbor  it,  not 
I,"  returned  the  other.  "My  gifts  are  not  scalpers' 
gifts,  but  such  as  belong  to  my  religion  and  color.  I'll 
stand  by  you,  old  man,  in  the  ark  or  in  the  castle,  the 
canoe  or  the  woods,  but  I'll  not  unhumanize  my  natur'  by 
falling  into  ways  that  God  intended  for  another  race.  If 
you  and  Hurry  have  got  any  thoughts  that  lean  towards 
the  colony's  gold,  go  by  yourselves  in  s'arch  of  it,  and 
leave  the  females  to  my  care.  Much  as  I  must  differ  from 
you  both  on  all  gifts  that  do  not  properly  belong  to  a 
white  man,  we  shall  agree  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
strong  to  take  care  of  the  weak,  especially  when  the  last 
belong  to  them  that  natur'  intended  man  to  protect  and 
console  by  his  gentleness  and  strength." 

"Hurry  Harry,  that  is  a  lesson  you  might  learn  and 
practise  on  to  some  advantage,"  said  the  sweet,  but  spir 
ited  voice  of  Judith,  from  the  cabin;  a  proof  that  she  had 
overheard  all  that  had  hitherto  been  said. 

"No  more  of  this,  Jude, "  called  out  the  father  angrily. 
"Move  further  off;  we  are  about  to  talk  of  matters  unfit 
for  a  woman  to  listen  to." 

Hutter  did  not  take  any  steps,  however,  to  ascertain 
whether  he  was  obeyed  or  not;  but  dropping  his  voice  a 
little,  he  pursued  the  discourse. 

"The  young  man  is  right,  Hurry,"  he  said;  "and  we 
can  leave  the  children  in  his  care.  Now,  my  idea  is  just 
this;  and  I  think  you'll  agree  that  it  is  rational  and 
correct.  There's  a  large  party  of  these  savages  on  the 
shore;  and,  though  I  didn't  tell  it  before  the  girls,  for 


THE   DEERSLAYER  73 

they're  womanish,  and  apt  to  be  troublesome  when  any 
thing  like  real  work  is  to  be  done,  there's  women  among 
'em.  This  I  know  from  moccasin  prints;  and  'tis  likely 
they  are  hunters,  after  all,  who  have  been  out  so  long  that 
they  know  nothing  of  the  war,  or  of  the  bounties." 

"In  which  case,  old  Tom,  why  was  their  first  salute  an 
attempt  to  cut  all  our  throats?" 

"We  don't  know  that  their  design  was  so  bloody.  It's 
natural  and  easy  for  an  Indian  to  fall  into  ambushes  and 
surprises;  and,  no  doubt,  they  wished  to  get  on  board  the 
ark  first,  and  to  make  their  conditions  afterwards.  That 
a  disappi'nted  savage  should  fire  at  us,  is  in  rule;  and  I 
think  nothing  of  that.  Besides,  how  often  have  they 
burned  me  out,  and  robbed  my  traps — ay,  and  pulled 
trigger  on  me,  in  the  most  peaceful  times?" 

"The  blackguards  will  do  such  things,  I  must  allow; 
and  we  pay  'em  off  pretty  much  in  their  own  c'ine. 
Women  would  not  be  on  the  warpath,  sartainly;  and,  so 
far,  there's  reason  in  your  idee." 

"Nor  would  a  hunter  be  in  his  war-paint,"  returned 
Deerslayer.  "I  saw  the  Mingoes,  and  know  that  they  are 
out  on  the  trail  of  mortal  men;  and  not  for  beaver  or 
deer." 

"There  you  have  it  ag'in,  old  fellow,"  said  Hurry. 
"In  the  way  of  an  eye,  now,  I'd  as  soon  trust  this  young 
man,  as  trust  the  oldest  settler  in  the  colony;  if  he  says 
paint,  why  paint  it  was." 

"Then  a  hunting  party  and  a  war  party  have  met,  for 
women  must  have  been  with  'em.  It's  only  a  few  days 
since  the  runner  went  through  with  the  tidings  of  the 
troubles;  and  it  may  be  that  warriors  have  come  out  to 
call  in  their  women  and  children,  to  get  an  early  blow." 

"That  would  stand  the  courts,  and  is  just  the  truth," 
cried  Hurry;  "you've  got  it  now,  old  Tom,  and  I  should 
like  to  hear  what  you  mean  to  make  out  of  it." 

"The  bounty,"  returned  the  other,  looking  up  at  his 
attentive  companion,  in  a  cool,  sullen  manner,  in  which, 
however,  heartless  cupidity  and  indifference  to  the  means 
were  far  more  conspicuous  than  any  feelings  of  animosity 
or  revenge.  "If  there's  women,  there's  children;  and  big 
and  little  have  scalps;  the  colony  pays  for  all  alike." 


74  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"More  shame  to  it,  that  it  should  do  so,"  interrupted 
Deerslayer;  "more  shame  to  it,  that  it  don't  understand 
its  gifts,  and  pay  greater  attention  to  the  will  of  God." 

"Hearken  to  reason,  lad,  and  don't  cry  out  afore  you 
understand  a  case,"  returned  the  unmoved  Hurry;  "the 
savages  scalp  your  fri'nds,  the  Delawares,  or  Mohicans, 
whichever  they  may  be,  among  the  rest;  and  why  shouldn't 
we  scalp?  I  will  own,  it  would  be  ag'in  right  for  you  and 
me,  now,  to  go  into  the  settlements  and  bring  out  scalps, 
but  it's  a  very  different  matter  as  concerns  Indians.  A 
man  shouldn't  take  scalps,  if  he  isn't  ready  to  be  scalped, 
himself,  on  fitting  occasions.  One  good  turn  desarves 
another,  all  the  world  over.  That's  reason,  and  I  believe 
it  to  be  good  religion." 

"Ay,  Master  Hurry,"  again  interrupted  the  rich  voice 
of  Judith,  "is  it  religion  to  say  that  one  bad  turn  deserves 
another?" 

"I'll  never  reason  ag'in  you,  Judy,  for  you  beat  me 
with  beauty,  if  you  can't  with  sense.  Here's  the  Canadas 
paying  their  Injins  for  scalps,  and  why  not  we  pay 

"Our  Indians!"  exclaimed  the  girl,  laughing  with  a 
sort  of  melancholy  merriment.  "Father,  father!  think  no 
more  of  this,  and  listen  to  the  advice  of  Deerslayer,  who 
has  a  conscience;  which  is  more  than  I  can  say  or  think 
of  Harry  March. ' ' 

Hutter  now  rose,  and,  entering  the  cabin,  he  compelled 
his  daughters  to  go  into  the  adjoining  room,  when  he 
secured  both  the  doors,  and  returned.  Then  he  and  Hurry 
pursued  the  subject;  but,  as  the  purport  of  all  that  was 
material  in  this  discourse  will  appear  in  the  narrative,  it 
need  not  be  related  here  in  detail.  The  reader,  however, 
can  have  no  difficulty  in  comprehending  the  morality  that 
presided  over  their  conference.  It  was,  in  truth,  that 
which,  in  some  form  or  other,  rules  most  of  the  acts  of 
men,  and  in  which  the  controlling  principle  is  that  one 
wrong  will  justify  another.  Their  enemies  paid  for  scalps, 
and  this  was  sufficient  to  justify  the  colony  for  retaliat 
ing.  It  is  true,  the  French  used  the  same  argument,  a 
circumstance,  as  Hurry  took  occasion  to  observe  in  answer 
to  one  of  Deerslayer's  objections,  that  prove  its  truth,  as 
mortal  enemies  would  not  be  likely  to  have  recourse  to 


THE   DEERSLAYER  75 

the  same  reason  unless  it  were  a  good  one.  But  neither 
Hutter  nor  Hurry  was  a  man  likely  to  stick  at  trifles  in 
matters  connected  with  the  right  of  the  aborigines,  since 
it  is  one  of  the  consequences  of  aggression  that  it  hardens 
the  conscience,  as  the  only  means  of  quieting  it.  In  the 
most  peaceable  state  of  the  country,  a  species  of  warfare 
was  carried  on  between  the  Indians,  especially  those  of 
the  Canadas,  and  men  of  their  case;  and  the  moment  an 
actual  and  recognized  warfare  existed,  it  was  regarded  as 
the  means  of  lawfully  revenging  a  thousand  wrongs,  real 
and  imaginary.  Then,  again,  there  was  some  truth,  and 
a  good  deal  of  expediency,  in  the  principle  of  retaliation, 
of  which  they  both  availed  themselves,  in  particular,  to 
answer  the  objection  of  their  juster-minded  and  more 
scrupulous  companion. 

"You  must  fight  a  man  with  his  own  we'pons,  Deer- 
slayer,  ' '  cried  Hurry,  in  his  uncouth  dialect,  and  in  his 
dogmatical  manner  of  disposing  of  all  moral  propositions; 
"if  he's  f'erce,  you  must  be  f'ercer;  if  he's  stout  of 
heart,  you  must  be  stouter.  This  is  the  way  to  get  the 
better  of  Christian  or  savage:  by  keeping  up  this  trail, 
you'll  get  soonest  to  the  ind  of  your  journey." 

"That's  not  Moravian  doctrine,  which  teaches  that  all 
are  to  be  judged  according  to  their  talents  or  Taming; 
the  Injin  like  an  Injin;  and  the  white  man  like  a  white 
man.  Some  of  their  teachers  say,  that  if  you're  struck 
on  the  cheek,  it's  a  duty  to  turn  the  other  side  of  the 
face,  and  take  another  blow,  instead  of  seeking  revenge, 
whereby  I  understand — 

"That's  enough!"  shouted  Hurry;  "that's  all  I  want, 
to  prove  a  man's  doctrine!  How  long  would  it  take  to 
kick  a  man  through  the  colony — in  at  one  ind,  and  out  at 
the  other,  on  that  principle?" 

"Don't  mistake  me,  March, ' '  returned  the  young  hunter, 
with  dignity;  "I  don't  understand  by  this  any  more  than 
that  it's  best  to  do  this,  if  possible.  Revenge  is  an  Injin 
gift,  and  forgiveness  a  white  man's.  That's  all.  Over 
look  all  you  can  is  what's  meant;  and  not  revenge  all  you 
can.  As  for  kicking,  Master  Hurry,"  and  Deerslayer's 
sunburnt  cheek  flushed  as  he  continued,  "into  the  colony, 
or  out  of  the  colony,  that's  neither  here  nor  there,  seeing 


76  THE   DEERSLAYER 

no  one  proposes  it,  and  no  one  would  be  likely  to  put  up 
with  it.  What  I  wish  to  say  is,  that  a  red-skin's  scalping 
don't  justify  a  pale  face's  scalping." 

"Do  as  you're  done  by,  Deerslayer;  that's  ever  the 
Christian  parson's  doctrine." 

"No,  Hurry,  I've  asked  the  Moravians  consarning  that; 
and  it's  altogether  different.  'Do  as  you  would  be  done 
by,'  they  tell  me,  is  the  true  saying,  while  men  practyse 
the  false.  They  think  all  the  colonies  wrong  that  offer 
bounties  for  scalps,  and  believe  no  blessing  will  follow 
the  measures.  Above  all  things,  they  forbid  revenge." 

"That  for  your  Moravians!"  cried  March,  snapping  his 
fingers;  "they're  the  next  thing  to  Quakers;  and  if  you'd 
believe  all  they  tell  you,  not  even  a  'rat  would  be  skinned, 
out  of  marcy.  Whoever  heard  of  marcy  on  a  muskrat!" 

The  disdainful  manner  of  Hurry  prevented  a  reply,  and 
he  and  the  old  man  resumed  the  discussion  of  their  plans 
in  a  more  quiet  and  confidential  manner.  This  confidence 
lasted  until  Judith  appeared,  bearing  the  simple  but 
savory  supper.  March  observed,  with  a  little  surprise, 
that  she  placed  the  choicest  bits  before  Deerslayer,  and 
that  in  the  little  nameless  attentions  it  was  in  her  power 
to  bestow,  she  quite  obviously  manifested  a  desire  to  let 
it  be  seen  that  she  deemed  him  the  honored  guest.  Ac 
customed,  however,  to  the  waywardness  and  coquetry  of 
the  beauty,  this  discovery  gave  him  little  concern,  and  he 
ate  with  an  appetite  that  was  in  no  degree  disturbed  by 
any  moral  causes.  The  easily  digested  food  of  the  forests 
offering  the  fewest  possible  obstacles  to  the  gratification 
of  this  great  animal  indulgence,  Deerslayer,  notwith 
standing  the  hearty  meal  both  had  taken  in  the  woods, 
was  in  no  manner  behind  his  companion  in  doing  justice 
to  the  viands. 

An  hour  later  the  scene  had  greatly  changed.  The  lake 
was  still  placid  and  glassy,  but  the  gloom  of  the  hour  had 
succeeded  to  the  soft  twilight  of  a  summer  evening,  and 
all  within  the  dark  setting  of  the  woods  lay  in  the  quiet 
repose  of  night.  The  forests  gave  up  no  song,  or  cry, 
or  even  murmur,  but  looked  down  from  the  hills  on 
the  lovely  basin  they  encircled,  in  solemn  stillness;  and  the 
only  sound  that  was  audible  was  the  regular  dip  of  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  77 

sweeps,  at  which  Hurry  and  Deerslayer  lazily  pushed, 
impelling  the  ark  towards  the  castle.  Hutter  had  with 
drawn  to  the  stern  of  the  scow,  in  order  to  steer,  but, 
finding  that  the  young  men  kept  even  strokes,  and  held 
the  desired  course  by  their  own  skill,  he  permitted  the 
oar  to  drag  in  the  water,  took  a  seat  on  the  end  of  the 
vessel,  and  lighted  his  pipe.  He  had  not  been  thus  placed 
many  minutes,  ere  Hetty  came  stealthily  out  of  the  cabin, 
or  house,  as  they  usually  termed  that  part  of  the  ark,  and 
placed  herself  at  his  feet,  on  a  little  bench  that  she  brought 
with  her.  As  this  movement  was  by  no  means  unusual 
in  his  feeble-minded  child,  the  old  man  paid  no  other 
attention  to  it  than  to  lay  his  hand  kindly  on  her  head,  in 
an  affectionate  and  approving  manner;  an  act  of  grace 
that  the  girl  received  in  meek  silence. 

After  a  pause  of  several  minutes,  Hetty  began  to  sing. 
Her  voice  was  low  and  tremulous,  but  it  was  earnest  and 
solemn.  The  words  and  the  time  were  of  the  simplest 
form,  the  first  being  a  hymn  that  she  had  been  taught  by 
her  mother,  and  the  last  one  of  those  natural  melodies 
that  find  favor  with  all  classes,  in  every  age,  coming  from 
and  being  addressed  to  the  feelings.  Hutter  never  listened 
to  this  simple  strain  without  finding  his  heart  and  manner 
softened;  facts  that  his  daughter  well  knew,  and  by  which 
she  had  often  profited,  through  the  sort  of  holy  instinct 
that  enlightens  the  weak  of  mind,  more  especially  in  their 
aims  toward  good. 

Hetty's  low,  sweet  tones  had  not  been  raised  many 
moments,  when  the  dip  of  the  oars  ceased,  and  the  holy 
strain  arose  singly  on  the  breathing  silence  of  the  wilder 
ness.  As  if  she  gathered  courage  with  the  theme,  her 
powers  appeared  to  increase  as  she  proceeded;  and  though 
nothing  vulgar  or  noisy  mingled  in  her  melody,  its 
strength  and  melancholy  tenderness  grew  on  the  ear, 
until  the  air  was  filled  with  this  simple  homage  of  a  soul 
that  seemed  almost  spotless.  That  the  men  forward  were 
not  indifferent  to  this  touching  interruption,  was  proved 
by  their  inaction;  nor  did  their  oars  again  dip  until  the 
last  of  the  sweet  sounds  had  actually  died  among  the 
remarkable  shores,  which,  at  that  witching  hour,  would 
waft  even  the  lowest  modulations  of  the  human  voice 


78  THE   DEERSLAYER 

more  than  a  mile.  Hutter  was  much  affected;  for  rude 
as  he  was  by  early  habits,  and  even  ruthless  as  he  had  got 
to  be  by  long  exposure  to  the  practises  of  the  wilderness, 
his  nature  was  of  that  fearful  mixture  of  good  and  evil 
that  so  generally  enters  into  the  moral  composition  of  man. 

"You  are  sad  to-night,  child,"  said  the  father,  whose 
manner  and  language  usually  assumed  some  of  the  gentle 
ness  and  elevation  of  the  civilized  life  he  had  led  in 
youth,  when  he  thus  communed  with  this  particular  child; 
"we  have  just  escaped  from  enemies,  and  ought  rather  to 
rejoice." 

"You  can  never  do  it,  father!"  said  Hetty,  in  a  low, 
remonstrating  manner,  taking  his  hard,  knotty  hand  into 
both  her  own;  "you  have  talked  long  with  Harry  March; 
but  neither  of  you  have  the  heart  to  do  it!" 

"This  is  going  beyond  your  means,  foolish  child;  you 
must  have  been  naughty  enough  to  have  listened,  or  you 
could  know  nothing  of  our  talk." 

"Why  should  you  and  Hurry  kill  people — especially 
women  and  children?" 

"Peace,  girl,  peace;  we  are  at  war,  and  must  do  to  our 
enemies  as  our  enemies  would  do  to  us." 

"That's  not  it,  father!  I  heard  Deerslayer  say  how  it 
was.  You  must  do  to  your  enemies  as  you  wish  your 
enemies  would  do  to  you.  No  man  wishes  his  enemies  to 
kill  him." 

"We  kill  our  enemies  in  war,  girl,  lest  they  should  kill 
us.  One  side  or  the  other  must  begin;  and  them  that 
begin  first,  are  most  apt  to  get  the  victory.  You  know 
nothing  about  these  things,  poor  Hetty,  and  had  best  say 
nothing." 

"Judith  says  it  is  wrong,  father;  and  Judith  has  sense, 
though  I  have  none. ' ' 

"Jude  understands  better  than  to  talk  to  me  of  these 
matters;  for  she  has  sense,  as  you  say,  and  knows  I'll  not 
bear  it.  Which  would  you  prefer,  Hetty;  to  have  your 
own  scalp  taken,  and  sold  to  the  French,  or  that  we  should 
kill  our  enemies,  and  keep  them  from  harming  us?" 

"That's  not  it,  father!  Don't  kill  them,  nor  let  them 
kill  us.  Sell  your  skins,  and  get  more,  if  you  can;  but, 
don't  sell  human  blood." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  79 

"Come,  come,  child;  let  us  talk  of  matters  you  under 
stand.  Are  you  glad  to  see  our  old  friend,  March,  back 
again?  You  like  Hurry,  and  must  know  that  one  day  he 
may  be  your  brother — if  not  something  nearer. ' ' 

"That  can't  be,  father,"  returned  the  girl,  after  a 
considerable  pause;  "Hurry  has  had  one  father,  and  one 
mother ;  and  people  never  have  two. ' ' 

"So  much  for  your  weak  mind,  Hetty.  When  Jude 
marries,  her  husband's  father  will  be  her  father,  and  her 
husband's  sister  her  sister.  If  she  should  marry  Hurry, 
then  he  will  be  your  brother." 

"Judith  will  never  have  Hurry,"  returned  the  girl 
mildly,  but  positively;  "Judith  don't  like  Hurry." 

"That's  more  than  you  can  know,  Hetty.  Harry  March 
is  the  handsomest,  and  the  strongest,  and  the  boldest 
young  man  that  ever  visits  the  lake;  and,  as  Jude  is  the 
greatest  beauty,  I  don't  see  why  they  shouldn't  come 
together.  He  has  as  much  as  promised  that  he  will 
enter  into  this  job  with  me,  on  condition  that  I'll  con 
sent." 

Hetty  began  to  move  her  body  back  and  forth,  and 
otherwise  to  express  mental  agitation;  but  she  made  no 
answer  for  more  than  a  minute.  Her  father,  accustomed 
to  her  manner,  and  suspecting  no  immediate  cause  of 
concern,  continued  to  smoke  with  the  apparent  phlegm 
which  would  seem  to  belong  to  that  particular  species  of 
enjoyment. 

"Hurry  is  handsome,  father,"  said  Hetty,  with  a  simple 
emphasis,  that  she  might  have  hesitated  about  using,  had 
her  mind  been  more  alive  to  the  inferences  of  others. 

"I  told  you  so,  child,"  muttered  old  Hutter,  without 
removing  the  pipe  from  between  his  teeth;  "he's  the  I 
likeliest  youth  in  these  parts;  and  Jude  is  the  likeliest | 
young  woman  I've  met  with  since  her  poor  mother  was 
in  her  best  days. ' ' 

"Is  it  wicked  to  be  ugly,  father?" 

"One  might  be  guilty  of  worse  things — but  you're  by 
no  means  ugly;  though  not  so  comely  as  Jude." 

"Is  Judith  any  happier  for  being  so  handsome?" 

"She  may  be,  child,  and  she  may  not  be.  But  talk  of 
other  matters  now,  for  you  hardly  understand  these,  poor 


80  THE   DEERSLAYER 

Hetty.  How  do  you  like  our  new  acquaintance,  Deer- 
slayer?" 

"He  isn't  handsome,  father.  Hurry  is  far  handsomer 
than  Deerslayer. " 

"That's  true;  but  they  say  he  is  a  noted  hunter!  His 
fame  had  reached  me  before  I  ever  saw  him;  and  I  did 
hope  he  would  prove  to  be  as  stout  a  warrior  as  he  is 
dexterous  with  the  deer.  All  men  are  not  alike,  howso 
ever,  child;  and  it  takes  time,  as  I  know  by  experience, 
to  give  a  man  a  true  wilderness  heart." 

"Have  I  got  a  wilderness  heart,  father — and  Hurry,  is 
his  heart  true  wilderness?" 

"You  sometimes  ask  queer  questions,  Hetty!  Your 
heart  is  good,  child,  and  fitter  for  the  settlements  than 
for  the  woods;  while  your  reason  is  fitter  for  the  woods 
than  for  the  settlements." 

"Why  has  Judith  more  reason  than  I,  father?" 

"Heaven  help  thee,  child;  this  is  more  than  I  can 
answer.  God  gives  sense,  and  appearance,  and  all  these 
things;  and  He  grants  them  as  He  seeth  fit.  Dost  thou 
wish  for  more  sense?" 

"Not  I.  The  little  I  have  troubles  me;  for  when  I 
think  the  hardest,  then  I  feel  the  unhappiest.  I  don't 
believe  thinking  is  good  for  me,  though  I  do  wish  I  was 
as  handsome  as  Judith!" 

"Why  so,  poor  child?  Thy  sister's  beauty  may  cause 
her  trouble,  as  it  caused  her  mother  before  her.  It's  no 
advantage,  Hetty,  to  be  so  marked  for  anything  as  to 
become  an  object  of  envy,  or  to  be  sought  after  more  than 
others." 

"Mother  was  good,  if  she  was  handsome,"  returned 
the  girl,  the  tears  starting  to  her  eyes,  as  usually  hap 
pened  when  she  adverted  to  her  deceased  parent. 

Old  Hutter,  if  not  equally  affected,  was  moody  and 
silent  at  this  allusion  to  his  wife.  He  continued  smoking, 
without  appearing  disposed  to  make  any  answer,  until  his 
simple-minded  daughter  repeated  her  remark,  in  a  way  to 
show  that  she  felt  uneasiness  lest  he  might  be  inclined  to 
deny  her  assertion.  Then  he  knocked  the  ashes  out  of  his 
pipe,  and  laying  his  hand  in  a  sort  of  rough  kindness  on 
the  girl's  hsad,  he  made  a  reply. 


81 

"Thy  mother  was  too  good  for  this  world,"  he  said; 
"though  others  might  not  think  so.  Her  good  looks  did 
not  befriend  her;  and  you  have  no  occasion  to  mourn  that 
you  are  not  as  much  like  her  as  your  sister.  Think  less 
of  beauty,  child,  and  more  of  your  duty,  and  you'll  be  as 
happy  on  this  lake  as  you  could  be  in  the  king's  palace." 

"I  know  it,  father;  but  Hurry  says  beauty  is  every 
thing  in  a  young  woman." 

Hutter  made  an  ejaculation  expressive  of  dissatisfac 
tion,  and  went  forward,  passing  through  the  house,  in 
order  to  do  so.  Hetty's  simple  betrayal  of  her  weakness 
in  behalf  of  March  gave  him  uneasiness  on  a  subject  con 
cerning  which  he  had  never  felt  before,  and  he  deter 
mined  to  come  to  an  explanation  at  once  with  his  visitor; 
for  directness  of  speech  and  decision  in  conduct  were 
two  of  the  best  qualities  of  this  rude  being,  in  whom  the 
seeds  of  a  better  education  seemed  to  be  constantly  strug 
gling  upwards,  to  be  choked  by  the  fruits  of  a  life  in 
which  his  hard  struggles  for  subsistence  and  security  had 
steeled  his  feelings  and  indurated  his  nature.  When  he 
reached  the  forward  end  of  the  scow,  he  manifested  an 
intention  to  relieve  Deerslayer  at  the  oar,  directing  the 
latter  to  take  his  own  place  aft.  By  these  changes, 
the  old  man  and  Hurry  were  again  left  alone,  while  the 
young  hunter  was  transferred  to  the  other  end  of  the  ark. 

Hetty  had  disappeared  when  Deerslayer  reached  his 
new  post,  and  for  some  little  time  he  directed  the  course 
of  the  slow-moving  craft  by  himself.  It  was  not  long, 
however,  before  Judith  came  out  of  the  cabin,  as  if  dis 
posed  to  do  the  honors  of  the  place  to  a  stranger  engaged 
in  the  service  of  her  family.  The  starlight  was  sufficient 
to  permit  objects  to  be  plainly  distinguished  when  near  at 
hand,  and  the  bright  eyes  of  the  girl  had  an  expression  of 
kindness  in  them,  when  they  met  those  of  the  youth,  that 
the  latter  was  easily  enabled  to  discover.  Her  rich  hair 
shaded  her  spirited  and  yet  soft  countenance,  even  at  that 
hour  rendering  it  the  more  beautiful — as  the  rose  is  love 
liest  when  reposing  amid  the  shadows  and  contrasts  of  its 
native  foliage.  Little  ceremony  is  used  in  the  intercourse 
of  the  woods;  and  Judith  had  acquired  a  readiness  of 
address,  by  the  admiration  that  she  so  generally  excited, 
6 


82  THE   DEERSLAYER 

which,  if  it  did  not  amount  to  forwardness,  certainly  in 
no  degree  lent  to  her  charms  the  aid  of  that  retiring 
modesty  on  which  poets  love  to  dwell. 

"I  thought  I  should  have  killed  myself  with  laughing, 
Deerslayer,"  the  beauty  abruptly,  but  coquettishly  com 
menced,  "when  I  saw  that  Indian  dive  into  the  river.  He 
was  a  good-looking  savage,  too,"  the  girl  always  dwelt  on 
personal  beauty  as  a  sort  of  merit,  "and  yet  one  couldn't 
stop  to  consider  whether  his  paint  would  stand  water!" 

"And  I  thought  they  would  have  killed  you  with  their 
we'pons,  Judith,"  returned  Deerslayer;  "it  was  an  awful 
risk  for  a  female  to  run  in  the  face  of  a  dozen  Mingoes!" 

"Did  that  make  you  come  out  of  the  cabin,  in  spite  of 
their  rifles,  too?"  asked  the  girl,  with  more  real  interest 
than  she  would  have  cared  to  betray,  though  with  an 
indifference  of  manner  that  was  the  result  of  a  good  deal 
of  practise  united  to  native  readiness. 

"Men  ar'n't  apt  to  see  females  in  danger,  and  not 
come  to  their  assistance.  Even  a  Mingo  knows  that." 

This  sentiment  was  uttered  with  as  much  simplicity  of 
manner  as  of  feeling,  and  Judith  rewarded  it  with  a  smile 
so  sweet,  that  even  Deerslayer,  who  had  imbibed  a  preju 
dice  against  the  girl  in  consequence  of  Hurry's  suspicions 
of  her  levity,  felt  its  charm,  notwithstanding  half  its 
winning  influence  was  lost  in  the  feeble  light.  It  at  once 
created  a  sort  of  confidence  between  them,  and  the  dis 
course  was  continued  on  the  part  of  the  hunter,  without 
the  lively  consciousness  of  the  character  of  this  coquette 
of  the  wilderness,  with  which  it  had  certainly  commenced. 

"You  are  a  man  of  deeds,  and  not  of  words,  I  see 
plainly,  Deerslayer,"  continued  the  beauty,  taking  her 
seat  near  the  spot  where  the  other  stood,  "and  I  foresee 
we  shall  be  very  good  friends.  Hurry  Harry  has  a  tongue, 
and,  giant  as  he  is,  he  talks  more  than  he  performs." 

"March  is  your  fri'nd,  Judith;  and  fri'nds  should  be 
tender  of  each  other,  when  apart. ' ' 

"We  all  know  what  Hurry's  friendship  comes  to!  Let 
him  have  his  own  way  in  everything,  and  he's  the  best 
fellow  in  the  colony;  but  'head  him  off,'  as  you  say  of  the 
deer,  and  he  is  master  of  everything  near  him  but  himself. 
Hurry  is  no  favorite  of  mine,  Deerslayer;  and  I  daresay, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  83 

if  the  truth  was  known,  and  his  conversation  about  me 
repeated,  it  would  be  found  that  he  thinks  no  better  of 
me  than  I  own  I  do  of  him." 

The  latter  part  of  this  speech  was  not  uttered  without 
uneasiness.  Had  the  girl's  companion  been  more  sophis 
ticated,  he  might  have  observed  the  averted  face,  the 
manner  in  which  the  pretty  little  foot  was  agitated,  and 
other  signs  that,  for  some  unexplained  reason,  the  opinions 
of  March  were  not  quite  as  much  a  matter  of  indifference 
to  her  as  she  thought  fit  to  pretend.  Whether  this  was  no 
more  than  the  ordinary  working  of  female  vanity,  feeling 
keenly  even  when  it  affected  not  to  feel  at  all,  or  whether 
it  proceeded  from  that  deeply  seated  consciousness  of  right 
and  wrong  which  God  himself  has  implanted  in  our  breasts 
that  we  may  know  good  from  evil,  will  be  made  more  ap 
parent  to  the  reader  as  we  proceed  in  the  tale.  Deerslayer 
felt  embarrassed.  He  well  remembered  the  cruel  imputa 
tions  left  by  March's  distrust;  and,  while  he  did  not  wish 
to  injure  his  associate's  suit  by  exciting  resentment 
against  him,  his  tongue  was  one  that  literally  knew  no 
guile.  To  answer  without  saying  more  or  less  than  he 
wished,  was  consequently  a  delicate  duty. 

"March  has  his  say  of  all  things  in  natur',  whether  of 
fri'nd  or  foe,"  slowly  and  cautiously  rejoined  the  hunter. 
"He's  one  of  them  that  speak  as  they  feel  while  the 
tongue's  a-going,  and  that's  sometimes  different  from 
what  they'd  speak  if  they  took  time  to  consider.  Give 
me  a  Delaware,  Judith,  for  one  that  reflects  and  rumi 
nates  on  his  idees!  Inmity  has  made  him  thoughtful,  and 
a  loose  tongue  is  no  ricommend  at  their  council  fires." 

"I  daresay  March's  tongue  goes  free  enough  when  il 
gets  on  the  subject  of  Judith  Hutter  and  her  sister," 
said  the  girl,  arousing  herself  as  if  in  careless  disdain. 
"Young  women's  good  names  are  a  pleasant  matter  of 
discourse  with  some  that  wouldn't  dare  to  be  so  open- 
mouthed  if  there  was  a  brother  in  the  way.  Master  March 
may  find  it  pleasant  to  traduce  us,  but  sooner  or  later 
he'll  repent!" 

"Nay,  Judith,  this  is  taking  the  matter  up  too  much  in 
'arnest.  Hurry  has  never  whispered  a  syllable  ag'in  the 
good  name  of  Hetty,  to  begin  with— 


84  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"I  see  how  it  is— I  see  how  it  is,"  impetuously  inter 
rupted  Judith.  "I  am  the  one  he  sees  fit  to  scorch  with 
his  withering  tongue!  Hetty,  indeed!  Poor  Hetty!"  she 
continued,  her  voice  sinking  into  low,  husky  tones,  that 
seemed  nearly  to  stifle  her  in  the  utterance;  "she  is 
beyond  and  above  his  slanderous  malice!  Poor  Hetty!  If 
God  has  created  her  feeble-minded,  the  weakness  lies  alto 
gether  on  the  side  of  errors  of  which  she  seems  to  know 
nothing.  The  earth  never  held  a  purer  being  than  Hetty 
Hutter,  Deerslayer. " 

"I  can  believe  it — yes,  I  can  believe  that,  Judith,  and 
I  hope  'arnestly  that  the  same  can  be  said  of  her  handsome 
sister." 

There  was  a  soothing  sincerity  in  the  voice  of  Deer- 
slayer,  which  touched  the  girl's  feelings;  nor  did  the 
allusion  to  her  beauty  lessen  the  effect  with  one  who  only 
knew  too  well  the  power  of  her  personal  charms.  Never 
theless,  the  still,  small  voice  of  conscience  was  not  hushed, 
and  it  prompted  the  answer  which  she  made  after  giving 
herself  time  to  reflect. 

"I  daresay  Hurry  had  some  of  his  vile  hints  about  the 
people  of  the  garrisons,"  she  added.  ''He  knows  they  are 
gentlemen,  and  can  never  forgive  anyone  for  being  what 
he  feels  he  can  never  become  himself." 

"Not  in  the  sense  of  a  king's  officer,  Judith,  sartainly, 
for  March  has  no  turn  that-a-way;  but  in  the  sense  of 
reality,  why  may  not  a  beaver-hunter  be  as  respectable  as 
a  governor?  Since  you  speak  of  it  yourself,  I'll  not  deny 
that  he  did  complain  of  one  as  humble  as  you  being  so 
much  in  the  company  of  scarlet  coats  and  silken  sashes. 
But  'twas  jealousy  that  brought  it  out  of  him,  and  I  do 
think  he  mourned  over  his  own  thoughts  as  a  mother 
would  have  mourned  over  her  child." 

Perhaps  Deerslayer  was  not  aware  of  the  full  meaning 
that  his  earnest  language  conveyed.  It  is  certain  that  he 
did  not  see  the  color  that  crimsoned  the  whole  of  Judith's 
fine  face,  nor  detect  the  uncontrollable  distress  that  im 
mediately  after  changed  its  hue  to  deadly  paleness.  A 
minute  or  two  elapsed  in  profound  stillness,  the  splash  of 
the  water  seeming  to  occupy  all  the  avenues  of  sound ;  and 
then  Judith  arose,  and  grasped  the  hand  of  the  hunter, 
almost  convulsively,  with  one  of  her  own. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  85 

"Deerslayer,"  she  said,  hurriedly,  "I'm  glad  the  ice  is 
broke  between  us.  They  say  that  sudden  friendships  lead 
to  long  enmities,  but  I  do  not  believe  it  will  turn  out  so 
with  us.  I  know  not  how  it  is — but  you  are  the  first  man 
I  ever  met,  who  did  not  seem  to  wish  to  flatter — to  wish 
my  ruin — to  be  an  enemy  in  disguise — never  mind;  say 
nothing  to  Hurry,  and  another  time  we'll  talk  together 
again." 

As  the  girl  released  her  grasp,  she  vanished  in  the 
house,  leaving  the  astonished  young  man  standing  at  the 
steering-oar,  as  motionless  as  one  of  the  pines  on  the  hills. 
So  abstracted,  indeed,  had  his  thoughts  become,  that  he 
was  hailed  by  Hutter  to  keep  the  scow's  head  in  the  right 
direction,  before  he  remembered  his  actual  situation. 


CHAPTER  VI 

"So  spake  the  apostate  Angel,  though  in  pain. 
Vaunting  aloud,  but  racked  with  deep  despair." 

—MILTON. 

SHORTLY  after  the  disappearance  of  Judith,  a  light 
southerly  air  arose,  and  Hutter  set  a  large  square  sail, 
that  had  once  been  the  flying  topsail  of  an  Albany  sloop, 
but  which  having  become  threadbare  in  catching  the 
breezes  of  Tappan,  had  been  condemned  and  sold.  He  had 
a  light,  tough  spar  of  tamarack  that  he  could  raise  on 
occasion,  and  with  a  little  contrivance,  his  duck  was 
spread  to  the  wind  in  a  sufficiently  professional  manner. 
The  effect  on  the  ark  was  such  as  to  supersede  the  neces 
sity  of  rowing;  and  in  about  two  hours  the  castle  was 
seen,  in  the  darkness,  rising  out  of  the  water,  at  the  dis 
tance  of  a  hundred  yards.  The  sail  was  then  lowered,  and 
by  slow  degrees  the  scow  drifted  up  to  the  building  and 
was  secured. 

No  one  had  visited  the  house  since  Hurry  and  his  com 
panion  left  it.  The  place  was  found  in  the  quiet  of  mid 
night,  a  sort  of  type  of  the  solitude  of  a  wilderness.  As 
an  enemy  was  known  to  be  near,  Hutter  directed  his 
daughters  to  abstain  from  the  use  of  lights,  luxuries  in 
which  they  seldom  indulged  during  the  warm  months,  lest 
they  might  prove  beacons  to  direct  their  foes  where  they 
might  be  found. 

"In  open  daylight  I  shouldn't  fear  a  host  of  savages 
behind  these  stout  logs,  and  they  without  any  cover  to 
skulk  into, ' '  added  Hutter,  when  he  had  explained  to  his 
guests  the  reasons  why  he  forbade  the  use  of  lights;  "for 
I've  three  or  four  trusty  weapons  always  loaded,  and  Kill- 
deer,  in  particular,  is  a  piece  that  never  misses.  But  it's 
a  different  thing  at  night.  A  canoe  might  get  upon  us 
unseen,  in  the  dark;  and  the  savages  have  so  many  cunning 
ways  of  attacking,  that  I  look  upon  it  as  bad  enough  to 
deal  with  'em  under  a  bright  sun.  I  built  this  dwelling 

86 


THE   DEERSLAYER  87 

in  order  to  have  'em  at  arm's  length,  in  case  we  should 
ever  get  to  blows  again.  Some  people  think  it's  too  open 
and  exposed,  but  I'm  for  anchoring  out  here,  clear  of 
underbrush  and  thickets,  as  the  surest  means  of  making  a 
safe  berth. ' ' 

"You  was  once  a  sailor,  they  tell  me,  old  Tom?"  said 
Hurry,  in  his  abrupt  manner,  struck  by  one  or  two  ex 
pressions  that  the  other  had  just  used,  "and  some  people 
believe  you  could  give  us  strange  accounts  of  inimies  and 
shipwrecks,  if  you'd  a  mind  to  come  out  with  ail  you 
know?" 

"There  are  people  in  this  world,  Hurry,"  returned  the 
other  evasively,  "who  live  on  other  men's  thoughts;  and 
some  such  often  find  their  way  into  the  woods.  What  I've 
been,  or  what  I've  seen  in  youth,  is  of  less  matter  now 
than  what  the  savages  are.  It's  of  more  account  to  find 
out  what  will  happen  in  the  next  twenty-four  hours  than 
to  talk  over  what  happened  twenty-four  years  since." 

"That's  judgment,  Deerslayer;  yes,  that's  sound  judg 
ment.  Here's  Judith  and  Hetty  to  take  care  of,  to  say 
nothing  of  our  own  top-knots;  and,  for  my  part,  I  can 
sleep  as  well  in  the  dark  as  I  could  under  a  noonday  sun. 
To  me  it's  no  great  matter  whether  there  is  light  or  not, 
to  see  to  shut  my  eyes  by. ' ' 

As  Deerslayer  seldom  thought  it  necessary  to  answer 
his  companion's  peculiar  vein  of  humor,  and  Hutter  was 
evidently  indisposed  to  dwell  longer  on  the  subject,  its 
discussion  ceased  with  this  remark.  The  latter  had  some 
thing  more  on  his  mind,  however,  than  recollections.  His 
daughters  had  no  sooner  left  them,  with  an  expressed 
intention  of  going  to  bed,  than  he  invited  his  two  com 
panions  to  follow  him  again  into  the  scow.  Here  the  old 
man  opened  his  project,  keeping  back  the  portion  that  he 
had  reserved  for  execution  by  Hurry  and  himself. 

"The  great  object  for  people  posted  like  ourselves  is  to 
command  the  water,"  he  commenced.  "So  long  as  there 
is  no  other  craft  on  the  lake,  a  bark  canoe  is  as  good  as  a 
man-of-war,  since  the  castle  will  not  be  easily  taken  by 
swimming.  Now,  there  are  but  five  canoes  remaining  in 
these  parts,  two  of  which  are  mine,  and  one  is  Hurry's. 
These  three  we  have  with  us  here;  one  being  fastened  in 


88  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  canoe  dock  beneath  the  house,  and  the  other  two  being 
alongside  the  scow.  The  other  canoes  are  housed  on  the 
shore,  in  hollow  logs,  and  the  savages,  who  are  such  ven 
omous  enemies,  will  leave  no  likely  place  unexamined  in 
the  morning,  if  they're  serious  in  s'arch  of  bounties — 

"Now,  friend  Hutter, "  interrupted  Hurry,  "the  Indian 
don't  live  that  can  find  a  canoe  that  is  suitably  wintered. 
I've  done  something  at  this  business  before  now,  and 
Deerslayer  here  knows  that  I  am  one  that  can  hide  a  craft 
in  such  a  way  that  I  can't  find  it  myself." 

"Very  true,  Hurry,"  put  in  the  person  to  whom  the 
appeal  had  been  made,  "but  you  overlook  the  sarcum- 
stance  that  if  you  couldn't  see  the  trail  of  the  man  who 
did  the  job,  I  could.  I'm  of  Master  Hutter's  mind,  that 
it's  far  wiser  to  mistrust  a  savage's  ingenuity,  than  to 
build  any  great  expectations  on  his  want  of  eyesight.  If 
these  two  canoes  can  be  got  off  to  the  castle,  therefore, 
the  sooner  it's  done  the  better." 

"Will  you  be  of  the  party  that's  to  do  it?"  demanded 
Hutter,  in  a  way  to  show  that  the  proposal  both  surprised 
and  pleased  him. 

"Sartain.  I'm  ready  to  enlist  in  any  enterprise  that's 
not  ag'in  a  white  man's  lawful  gifts.  Natur'  orders  us 
to  defend  our  lives,  and  the  lives  of  others,  too,  when 
there's  occasion  and  opportunity.  I'll  follow  you,  Float 
ing  Tom,  into  the  Mingo  camp,  on  such  an  arr'nd,  and 
will  strive  to  do  my  duty,  should  we  come  to  blows; 
though,  never  having  been  tried  in  battle,  I  don't  like 
to  promise  more  than  I  may  be  able  to  perform.  We  all 
know  our  wishes,  but  none  know  their  might  till  put  to 
the  proof. ' ' 

"That's  modest  and  suitable,  lad,"  exclaimed  Hurry. 
"You've  never  yet  heard  the  crack  of  an  angry  rifle;  and, 
let  me  tell  you,  'tis  as  different  from  the  persuasion  of 
one  of  your  venison  speeches,  as  the  laugh  of  Judith 
Hutter,  in  her  best  humor,  is  from  the  scolding  of  a 
Dutch  housekeeper  on  the  Mohawk.  I  don't  expect  you'll 
prove  much  of  a  warrior,  Deerslayer,  though  your  equal 
with  the  bucks  and  the  does  don't  exist  in  all  these  parts. 
As  for  the  ra'al  sarvice,  however,  you'll  turn  out  rather 
rearward,  according  to  my  consait. " 


THE   DEERSLAYER  89 

"We'll  see,  Hurry,  we'll  see,"  returned  the  other 
meekly;  so  far  as  human  eye  could  discover,  not  at  all 
disturbed  by  these  expressed  doubts  concerning  his  con 
duct  on  a  point  on  which  men  are  sensitive,  precisely  in 
the  degree  that  they  feel  the  consciousness  of  demerit; 
"having  never  been  tried,  I'll  wait  to  know,  before  I 
form  any  opinion  of  myself;  and  then  there'll  be  sar- 
tainty,  instead  of  bragging.  I've  heard  of  them  that  was 
valiant  afore  the  fight,  who  did  little  in  it;  and  of  them 
that  waited  to  know  their  own  tempers,  and  found  that 
they  weren't  as  bad  as  some  expected,  when  put  to  the 
proof." 

"At  any  rate,  we  know  you  can  use  a  paddle,  young 
man,"  said  Hutter,  "and  that's  all  we  shall  ask  of  you 
to-night.  Let  us  waste  no  more  time,  but  get  into  the 
canoe,  and  do,  in  place  of  talking." 

As  Hutter  led  the  way,  in  the  execution  of  his  project, 
the  boat  was  soon  ready,  with  Hurry  and  Deerslayer  at 
the  paddles.  Before  the  old  man  embarked  himself, 
however,  he  held  a  conference  of  several  minutes  with 
Judith,  entering  the  house  for  that  purpose;  then,  re 
turning,  he  took  his  place  in  the  canoe,  which  left  the 
side  of  the  ark  at  the  next  instant. 

Had  there  been  a  temple  reared  to  God,  in  that  solitary 
wilderness,  its  clock  would  have  told  the  hour  of  midnight 
as  the  party  set  forth  on  their  expedition.  The  darkness 
had  increased,  though  the  night  was  still  clear,  and  the 
light  of  the  stars  sufficed  for  all  the  purposes  of  the  ad 
venturers.  Hutter  alone  knew  the  places  where  the  canoes 
were  hid,  and  he  directed  the  course,  while  his  two  ath 
letic  companions  raised  and  dipped  their  paddles  with 
proper  caution,  lest  the  sound  should  be  carried  to  the 
ears  of  their  enemies,  across  that  sheet  of  placid  water,  in 
the  stillness  of  deep  night.  But  the  bark  was  too  light  to 
require  any  extraordinary  efforts,  and  skill  supplying  the 
place  of  strength,  in  about  half  an  hour  they  were  approach 
ing  the  shore,  at  a  point  near  a  league  from  the  castle. 

"Lay  on  your  paddles,  men,"  said  Hutter,  in  a  low 
voice,  "and  let  us  look  about  us  for  a  moment.  We  must 
now  be  all  eyes  and  ears,  for  these  vermin  have  noses  like 
bloodhounds." 


90  THE   DEERSLAYER 

The  shores  of  the  lake  were  examined  closely,  in  order 
to  discover  any  glimmering  of  light  that  might  have  been 
left  in  a  camp;  and  the  men  strained  their  eyes,  in  the 
obscurity,  to  see  if  some  thread  of  smoke  was  not  still 
stealing  along  the  mountain-side,  as  it  arose  from  the  dy 
ing  embers  of  a  fire.  Nothing  unusual  could  be  traced ; 
and  as  the  position  was  at  some  distance  from  the  outlet, 
or  the  spot  where  the  savages  had  been  met,  it  was 
thought  safe  to  land.  The  paddles  were  plied  again,  and 
the  bows  of  the  canoe  ground  upon  the  gravelly  beach 
with  a  gentle  motion,  and  a  sound  barely  audible.  Hutter 
and  Hurry  immediately  landed,  the  former  carrying  his 
own  and  his  friend's  rifle,  leaving  Deerslayer  in  charge 
of  the  canoe.  The  hollow  log  lay  a  little  distance  up  the 
side  of  the  mountain,  and  the  old  man  led  the  way  towards 
it,  using  so  much  caution  as  to  stop  at  every  third  or 
fourth  step,  to  listen  if  any  tread  betrayed  the  presence 
of  a  foe.  The  same  death-like  stillness,  however,  reigned 
on  the  midnight  scene,  and  the  desired  place  was  reached 
without  an  occurrence  to  induce  alarm. 

"This  is  it,"  whispered  Hutter,  laying  a  foot  on  the 
trunk  of  a  fallen  linden;  "hand  me  the  paddles  first,  and 
draw  the  boat  out  with  care,  for  the  wretches  may  have 
left  it  for  a  bait,  after  all." 

"Keep  my  rifle  handy,  but  towards  me,  old  fellow," 
answered  March.  "If  they  attack  me  loaded,  I  shall  want 
to  unload  the  piece  at  'em,  at  least.  And  feel  if  the  pan 
is  full." 

"All's  right,"  muttered  the  other;  "move  slow,  when 
you  get  your  load,  and  let  me  lead  the  way. ' ' 

The  canoe  was  drawn  out  of  the  log  with  the  utmost 
care,  raised  by  Hurry  to  his  shoulder,  and  the  two  began 
to  return  to  the  shore,  moving  but  a  step  at  a  time,  lest 
they  should  tumble  down  the  steep  declivity.  The  dis 
tance  was  not  great,  but  the  descent  was  extremely 
difficult;  and,  towards  the  end  of  their  little  journey, 
Deerslayer  was  obliged  to  land  and  meet  them,  in  order 
to  aid  in  lifting  the  canoe  through  the  bushes.  With  his 
assistance  the  task  was  successfully  accomplished,  and  the 
light  craft  soon  floated  by  the  side  of  the  other  canoe. 
This  was  no  sooner  done,  than  all  three  turned  anxiously 


THE   DEERSLAYER  91 

towards  the  forest  and  the  mountain,  expecting  an  enemy 
to  break  out  of  the  one,  or  to  come  rushing  down  the 
other.  Still  the  silence  was  unbroken,  and  they  all  em 
barked  with  the  caution  that  had  been  used  in  coming 
ashore. 

Hutter  now  steered  broad  off  towards  the  center  of  the 
lake.  Having  got  a  sufficient  distance  from  the  shore,  he 
cast  his  prize  loose,  knowing  that  it  would  drift  slowly  up 
the  lake  before  the  light  southerly  air,  and  intending  to 
find  it  on  his  return.  Thus  relieved  of  his  tow,  the  old 
man  held  his  way  down  the  lake,  steering  towards  the 
very  point  where  Hurry  had  made  his  fruitless  attempt 
on  the  life  of  the  deer.  As  the  distance  from  this  point 
to  the  outlet  was  less  than  a  mile,  it  was  like  entering  an 
enemy's  country;  and  redoubled  caution  became  necessary. 
They  reached  the  extremity  of  the  point,  however,  and 
landed  in  safety  on  the  little  gravelly  beach  already  men 
tioned.  Unlike  the  last  place  at  which  they  had  gone 
ashore,  here  was  no  acclivity  to  ascend,  the  mountains 
looming  up  in  the  darkness  quite  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
farther  west,  leaving  a  margin  of  level  ground  between 
them  and  the  strand.  The  point  itself,  though  long,  and 
covered  with  tall  trees,  was  nearly  flat,  and  for  some 
distance  only  a  few  yards  in  width.  Hutter  and  Hurry 
landed  as  before,  leaving  their  companion  in  charge  of 
the  boat. 

In  this  instance,  the  dead  tree  that  contained  the  canoe 
of  which  they  had  come  in  quest  lay  about  half-way 
between  the  extremity  of  the  narrow  slip  of  land  and  the 
place  where  it  joined  the  main  shore;  and  knowing  that 
there  was  water  so  near  him  on  his  left  the  old  man  led 
the  way  along  the  eastern  side  of  the  belt  with  some  con 
fidence,  walking  boldly,  though  still  with  caution.  He 
had  landed  at  the  point  expressly  to  get  a  glimpse  into 
the  bay,  and  to  make  certain  that  the  coast  was  clear; 
otherwise  he  would  have  come  ashore  directly  abreast  of 
the  hollow  tree.  There  was  no  difficulty  in  finding  the 
latter,  from  which  the  canoe  was  drawn  as  before,  and 
instead  of  carrying  it  down  to  the  place  where  Deerslayer 
lay,  it  was  launched  at  the  nearest  favorable  spot.  As 
soon  as  it  was  in  the  water,  Hurry  entered  it,  and  pad- 


92  THE   DEERSLAYER 

died  round  to  the  point  whither  Hutter  also  proceeded, 
following  the  beach.  As  the  three  men  had  now  in  their 
possession  all  the  boats  on  the  lake,  their  confidence  was 
greatly  increased,  and  there  was  no  longer  the  same  fever 
ish  desire  to  quit  the  shore,  or  the  same  necessity  for 
extreme  caution.  Their  position  on  the  extremity  of  the 
long,  narrow  bit  of  land,  added  to  the  feeling  of  secur 
ity,  as  it  permitted  an  enemy  to  approach  in  only  one 
direction,  that  in  their  front,  and  under  circumstances 
that  would  render  discovery,  with  their  habitual  vigi 
lance,  almost  certain.  The  three  now  landed  together,  and 
stood  grouped  in  consultation  on  the  gravelly  point. 

"We've  fairly  tree'd  the  scamps,"  said  Hurry,  chuck 
ling  at  their  success;  "if  they  wish  to  visit  the  castle,  let 
'em  wade  or  swim!  Old  Tom,  that  idee  of  your'n,  in 
burrowing  out  in  the  lake,  was  high  proof,  and  carries  a 
fine  bead.  There  be  men  who  would  think  the  land  safer 
than  the  water;  but,  after  all,  reason  shows  it  isn't;  the 
beaver,  and  rats,  and  other  la'rned  creatur's  taking  to  the 
last  when  hard  pressed.  I  call  our  position  now,  en 
trenched,  and  set  the  Canadas  at  defiance." 

"Let  us  paddle  along  this  south  shore,"  said  Hutter, 
"and  see  if  there's  no  sign  of  an  encampment;  but  first, 
let  me  have  a  better  look  into  the  bay,  for  no  one  has 
been  far  enough  round  the  inner  shore  of  the  point  to 
make  sure  of  that  quarter  yet. ' ' 

As  Hutter  ceased  speaking,  all  three  moved  in  the 
direction  he  had  named.  Scarce  had  they  fairly  opened 
the  bottom  of  the  bay,  when  a  general  start  proved  that 
their  eyes  had  lighted  on  a  common  object  at  the  same 
instant.  It  was  no  more  than  a  dying  brand,  giving  out 
its  flickering  and  failing  light;  but  at  that  hour,  and  in 
that  place,  it  was  at  once  as  conspicuous  as  "a  good  deed 
in  a  naughty  world."  There  was  not  a  shadow  of  doubt 
that  this  fire  had  been  kindled  at  an  encampment  of  the 
Indians.  The  situation,  sheltered  from  observation  on  all 
sides  but  one,  and  even  on  that  except  for  a  very  short 
distance,  proved  that  more  care  had  been  taken  to  conceal 
the  spot  than  would  be  used  for  ordinary  purposes,  and 
Hutter,  who  knew  that  a  spring  was  near  at  hand,  as  well 
as  one  of  the  best  fishing  stations  on  the  lake,  imme- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  93 

diately  inferred  that  this  encampment  contained  the 
women  and  children  of  the  party. 

"That's  not  a  warrior's  encampment,"  he  growled  to 
Hurry;  "and  there's  bounty  enough  sleeping  round  that 
fire  to  make  a  heavy  division  of  head-money.  Send  the 
lad  to  the  canoes,  for  there'll  come  no  good  of  him  in 
such  an  onset,  and  let  us  take  the  matter  in  hand  at  once, 
like  men." 

"There's  judgment  in  your  notion,  old  Tom,  and  I  like 
it  to  the  backbone.  Deerslayer,  do  you  get  in  to  the 
canoe,  lad,  and  paddle  off  into  the  lake  with  the  spare 
one,  and  set  it  adrift,  as  we  did  with  the  other;  after 
which  you  can  float  along  shore,  as  near  as  you  can  get  to 
the  head  of  the  bay,  keeping  outside  the  point,  hows'ever, 
and  outside  the  rushes,  too.  You  can  hear  us  when  we 
want  you;  and  if  there's  any  delay,  I'll  call  like  a  loon- 
yes,  that'll  do  it — the  call  of  a  loon  shall  be  the  signal. 
If  you  hear  rifles,  and  feel  like  sogering,  why,  you  may 
close  in,  and  see  if  you  can  make  the  same  hand  with  the 
savages  that  you  do  with  the  deer." 

"If  my  wishes  could  be  followed,  this  matter  would 
not  be  undertaken,  Hurry — 

"Quite  true — nobody  denies  it,  boy;  but  your  wishes 
can't  be  followed;  and  that  inds  the  matter.  So  just 
canoe  yourself  off  into  the  middle  of  the  lake,  and  by 
the  time  you  get  back  there'll  be  movements  in  that 
camp ! ' ' 

The  young  man  set  about  complying  with  great  reluc 
tance  and  a  heavy  heart.  He  knew  the  prejudices  of  the 
frontiersmen  too  well,  however,  to  attempt  a  remon 
strance.  The  latter,  indeed,  under  the  circumstances, 
might  prove  dangerous,  as  it  would  certainly  prove 
useless.  He  paddled  the  canoe,  therefore,  silently,  and 
with  the  former  caution,  to  a  spot  near  the  center  of  the 
placid  sheet  of  water,  and  set  the  boat  just  recovered 
adrift,  to  float  towards  the  castle,  before  the  light  south 
erly  air.  This  expedient  had  been  adopted,  in  both  cases, 
under  the  certainty  that  the  drift  could  not  carry  the 
light  barks  more  than  a  league  or  two,  before  the  return 
of  light,  when  they  might  easily  be  overtaken.  In  order 
to  prevent  any  wandering  savage  from  using  them,  by 


94  THE   DEERSLAYER 

swimming  off  and  getting  possession,  a  possible  but 
scarcely  a  probable  event,  all  the  paddles  were  retained. 

No  sooner  had  he  set  the  recovered  canoe  adrift,  than 
Deerslayer  turned  the  bows  of  his  own  towards  the  point 
on  the  shore  that  had  been  indicated  by  Hurry.  So  light 
was  the  movement  of  the  little  craft,  and  so  steady  the 
sweep  of  its  master's  arm,  that  ten  minutes  had  not 
elapsed  ere  it  was  again  approaching  the  land,  having,  in 
that  brief  time,  passed  over  fully  half  a  mile  of  distance. 
As  soon  as  Deerslayer's  eye  caught  a  glimpse  of  the 
rushes,  of  which  there  were  many  growing  in  the  water  a 
hundred  feet  from  the  shore,  he  arrested  the  motion  of  the 
canoe,  and  anchored  his  boat  by  holding  fast  to  the  deli 
cate  but  tenacious  stem  of  one  of  the  drooping  plants. 
Here  he  remained,  awaiting,  with  an  intensity  of  suspense 
that  can  be  easily  imagined,  the  result  of  the  hazardous 
enterprise. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  convey  to  the  minds  of  those 
who  have  never  witnessed  it,  the  sublimity  that  charac 
terizes  the  silence  of  a  solitude  as  deep  as  that  which  now 
reigned  over  the  Glimmerglass.  In  the  present  instance, 
this  sublimity  was  increased  by  the  gloom  of  night,  which 
threw  its  shadowy  and  fantastic  forms  around  the  lake, 
the  forest,  and  the  hills.  It  is  not  easy,  indeed,  to  con 
ceive  of  any  place  more  favorable  to  heighten  these 
natural  impressions,  than  that  Deerslayer  now  occupied. 
The  size  of  the  lake  brought  all  within  the  reach  of 
human  senses,  while  it  displayed  so  much  of  the  impos 
ing  scene  at  a  single  view,  giving  up,  as  it  might  be,  at 
a  glance,  a  sufficiency  to  produce  the  deepest  impressions. 
As  has  been  said,  this  was  the  first  lake  Deerslayer  had 
ever  seen.  Hitherto,  his  experience  has  been  limited  to 
the  courses  of  rivers  and  smaller  streams,  and  never 
before  had  he  seen  so  much  of  that  wilderness,  which  he 
so  well  loved,  spread  before  his  gaze.  Accustomed  to 
the  forest,  however,  his  mind  was  capable  of  portraying 
all  its  hidden  mysteries,  as  he  looked  upon  its  leafy  sur 
face.  This  was  also  the  first  time  he  had  been  on  a  trail 
where  human  lives  depended  on  the  issue.  His  ears  had 
often  drunk  in  the  traditions  of  frontier  warfare,  but  he 
had  never  yet  been  confronted  with  an  enemy. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  95 

The  reader  will  readily  understand,  therefore,  how  in 
tense  must  have  been  the  expectation  of  the  young  man, 
as  he  sat  in  his  solitary  canoe,  endeavoring  to  catch  the 
smallest  sound  that  might  denote  the  course  of  things  on 
shore.  His  training  had  been  perfect,  so  far  as  theory 
could  go,  and  his  self-possession,  notwithstanding  the  high 
excitement,  that  was  the  fruit  of  novelty,  would  have  done 
credit  to  a  veteran.  The  visible  evidences  of  the  existence 
of  the  camp,  or  of  the  fire,  could  not  be  detected  from  the 
spot  where  the  canoe  lay,  and  he  was  compelled  to  depend 
on  the  sense  of  hearing  alone.  He  did  not  feel  impatient, 
for  the  lessons  he  had  heard  taught  him  the  virtue  of 
patience,  and,  most  of  all,  inculcated  the  necessity  of 
wariness  in  conducting  any  covert  assault  on  the  Indians. 
Once  he  thought  he  heard  the  cracking  of  a  dried  twig, 
but  expectation  was  so  intense  it  might  mislead  him.  In 
this  manner  minute  after  minute  passed,  until  the  whole 
time  since  he  left  his  companions  was  extended  to  quite 
an  hour.  Deerslayer  knew  not  whether  to  rejoice  in  or  to 
mourn  over  this  cautious  delay,  for,  if  it  augured  security 
to  his  associates,  it  foretold  destruction  to  the  feeble  and 
innocent. 

It  might  have  been  an  hour  and  a  half  after  his  com 
panions  and  he  had  parted,  when  Deerslayer  was  aroused 
by  a  sound  that  filled  him  equally  with  concern  and  sur 
prise.  The  quavering  call  of  a  loon  arose  from  the  oppo 
site  side  of  the  lake,  evidently  at  no  great  distance  from 
its  outlet.  There  was  no  mistaking  the  note  of  this  bird, 
which  is  so  familiar  to  all  who  know  the  sounds  of  the 
American  lakes.  Shrill,  tremulous,  loud,  and  sufficiently 
prolonged,  it  seems  the  very  cry  of  warning.  It  is  often 
raised,  also,  at  night — an  exception  to  the  habits  of  most 
of  the  other  feathered  inmates  of  the  wilderness;  a  cir 
cumstance  which  had  induced  Hurry  to  select  it  as  his 
own  signal.  There  had  been  sufficient  time,  certainly, 
for  the  two  adventurers  to  make  their  way  by  land  from 
the  point  where  they  had  been  left  to  that  whence  the 
call  had  come,  but  it  was  not  probable  that  they  would 
adopt  such  a  course.  Had  the  camp  been  deserted  they 
would  have  summoned  Deerslayer  to  the  shore,  and,  did 
it  prove  to  be  peopled,  there  could  be  no  sufficient  motive 


96  THE   DEERSLAYER 

for  circling  it,  in  order  to  reembark  at  so  great  a  dis 
tance.  Should  he  obey  the  signal,  and  be  drawn  away 
from  the  landing,  the  lives  of  those  who  depended  on  him 
might  be  the  forfeit — and,  should  he  neglect  the  call,  on 
the  supposition  that  it  had  been  really  made,  the  conse 
quences  might  be  equally  disastrous,  though  from  a 
different  cause.  In  this  indecision  he  waited,  trusting 
that  the  call,  whether  feigned  or  natural,  would  be 
speedily  renewed.  Nor  was  he  mistaken.  A  very  few 
minutes  elapsed  before  the  same  shrill  warning  cry  was 
repeated,  and  from  the  same  part  of  the  lake.  This  time, 
being  on  the  alert,  his  senses  were  not  deceived.  Although 
he  had  often  heard  admirable  imitations  of  this  bird,  and 
was  no  mean  adept  himself  in  raising  its  notes,  he  felt 
satisfied  that  Hurry,  to  whose  efforts  in  that  way  he  had 
attended,  could  never  so  completely  and  closely  follow 
nature.  He  determined,  therefore,  to  disregard  that 
cry,  and  to  wait  for  one  less  perfect  and  nearer  at  hand. 
Deerslayer  had  hardly  come  to  this  determination, 
when  the  profound  stillness  of  night  and  solitude  was 
broken  by  a  cry  so  startling,  as  to  drive  all  recollection 
of  the  more  melancholy  call  of  the  loon  from  the  listener's 
mind.  It  was  a  shriek  of  agony,  that  came  either  from 
one  of  the  female  sex,  or  from  a  boy  so  young  as  not  yet 
to  have  attained  a  manly  voice.  This  appeal  could  not  be 
mistaken.  Heartrending  terror — if  not  writhing  agony — 
was  in  the  sounds,  and  the  anguish  that  had  awakened 
them  was  as  sudden  as  it  was  fearful.  The  young  man 
released  his  hold  of  the  rush,  and  dashed  his  paddle  into 
the  water;  to  do,  he  knew  not  what — to  steer,  he  knew 
not  whither.  A  very  few  moments,  however,  removed  his 
indecision.  The  breaking  of  branches,  the  crackling  of 
dried  sticks,  and  the  fall  of  feet  were  distinctly  audible; 
the  sounds  appearing  to  approach  the  water,  though  in  a 
direction  that  led  diagonally  towards  the  shore,  and  a  lit 
tle  farther  north  than  the  spot  that  Deerslayer  had  been 
ordered  to  keep  near.  Following  this  clue,  the  young  man 
urged  the  canoe  ahead,  paying  but  little  attention  to  the 
manner  in  which  he  might  betray  its  presence.  He  had 
reached  a  part  of  the  shore,  where  its  immediate  bank 
was  tolerably  high  and  quite  steep.  Men  were  evidently 


THE   DEERSLAYER  97 

threshing  through  the  bushes  and  trees  on  the  summit  of 
this  bank,  following  the  line  of  the  shore,  as  if  those  who 
fled  sought  a  favorable  place  for  descending.  Just  at  this 
instant  five  or  six  rifles  flashed,  and  the  opposite  hills 
gave  back,  as  usual,  the  sharp  reports  in  prolonged  rolling 
echoes.  One  or  two  shrieks,  like  those  which  escape  the 
bravest  when  suddenly  overcome  by  unexpected  anguish 
and  alarm,  followed;  and  then  the  threshing  among  the 
bushes  was  renewed,  in  a  way  to  show  that  man  was 
grappling  with  man. 

"Slippery  devil!"  shouted  Hurry  with  the  fury  of 
disappointment,  "his  skin's  greased!  I  shan't  grapple! 
Take  that  for  your  cunning ! ' ' 

The  words  were  followed  by  the  fall  of  some  heavy 
object  among  the  smaller  trees  that  fringed  the  bank, 
appearing  to  Deerslayer  as  if  his  gigantic  associate  had 
hurled  an  enemy  from  him  in  this  unceremonious  manner. 
Again  the  flight  and  pursuit  were  renewed,  and  then  the 
young  man  saw  a  human  form  break  down  the  hill,  and 
rush  several  yards  into  the  water.  At  this  critical  mo 
ment  the  canoe  was  just  near  enough  to  the  spot  to  allow 
this  movement,  which  was  accompanied  by  no  little  noise, 
to  be  seen;  and  feeling  that  there  he  must  take  in  his 
companion,  if  anywhere,  Deerslayer  urged  the  canoe  for 
ward  to  the  rescue.  His  paddle  had  not  been  raised  twice, 
when  the  voice  of  Hurry  was  heard  filling  the  air  with 
imprecations,  and  he  rolled  on  the  narrow  beach,  literally 
loaded  down  with  enemies.  While  prostrate,  and  almost 
smothered  with  his  foes,  the  athletic  frontiersman  gave 
his  loon's  call,  in  a  manner  that  would  have  excited 
laughter  under  circumstances  less  terrific.  The  figure  in 
the  water  seemed  suddenly  to  repent  his  own  flight,  and 
rushed  to  the  shore  to  aid  his  companion,  but  was  met 
and  immediately  overpowered  by  half  a  dozen  fresh  pur 
suers,  who,  just  then,  came  leaping  down  the  bank. 

"Let  up,  you  painted  riptyles — letup!"  cried  Hurry, 
too  hard  pressed  to  be  particular  about  the  terms  he  used; 
"isn't  it  enough  that  I  am  withed  like  a  saw-log  that  ye 
must  choke,  too!" 

This  speech  satisfied  Deerslayer  that  his  friends  were 
prisoners,  and  that  to  land  would  be  to  share  their  fate. 
7 


98  THE   DEERSLAYER 

He  was  already  within  a  hundred  feet  of  the  shore,  when 
a  few  timely  strokes  of  the  paddle  not  only  arrested  his 
advance,  but  forced  him  off  to  six  or  eight  times  that 
distance  from  his  enemies.  Luckily  for  him,  all  of  the 
Indians  had  dropped  their  rifles  in  the  pursuit,  or  this  re 
treat  might  not  have  been  effected  with  impunity;  though 
no  one  had  noted  the  canoe  in  the  first  confusion  of  the 
melee. 

"Keep  off  the  land,  lad,"  called  out  Hutter;  "the 
girls  depend  only  on  you,  now;  you  will  want  all  your 
caution  to  escape  these  savages.  Keep  off,  and  God 
prosper  you,  as  you  aid  my  children!" 

There  was  little  sympathy  in  general  between  Hutter 
and  the  young  man,  but  the  bodily  and  mental  anguish 
with  which  this  appeal  was  made  served  at  the  moment  to 
conceal  from  the  latter  the  former's  faults.  He  saw  only 
the  father  in  his  sufferings,  and  resolved  at  once  to  give 
a  pledge  of  fidelity  to  his  interests,  and  to  be  faithful  to 
his  word. 

"Put  your  heart  at  ease,  Master  Hutter, ' '  he  called  out; 
"the  gals  shall  be  looked  to,  as  well  as  the  castle.  The 
inimy  has  got  the  shore,  'tis  no  use  to  deny,  but  he  hasn't 
got  the  water.  Providence  has  the  charge  of  all,  and  no 
one  can  say  what  will  come  of  it;  but  if  good  will  can 
sarve  you  and  your'n,  depend  on  that  much.  My  exper'- 
ence  is  small,  but  my  will  is  good." 

"Ay,  ay,  Deerslayer, "  returned  Hurry  in  his  stentorian 
voice,  which  was  losing  some  of  its  heartiness,  notwith 
standing;  "ay,  ay,  Deerslayer,  you  mean  well  enough, 
but  what  can  you  do?  You're  no  great  matter  in  the  best 
of  times,  and  such  a  person  is  not  likely  to  turn  out  a 
miracle  in  the  worst.  If  there's  one  savage  on  this  lake 
shore,  there's  forty,  and  that's  an  army  you  ar'n't  the 
man  to  overcome.  The  best  way,  in  my  judgment,  will 
be  to  make  a  straight  course  to  the  castle;  get  the  gals 
into  the  canoe,  with  a  few  eatables;  then  strike  off  for 
the  corner  of  the  lake  where  we  came  in,  and  take  the 
best  trail  for  the  Mohawk.  These  devils  won't  know  where 
to  look  for  you  for  some  hours,  and  if  they  did,  and  went 
off  hot  in  the  pursuit,  they  must  turn  either  the  foot  or 
the  head  of  the  lake  to  get  at  you.  That's  my  judgment 


THE   DEERSLAYER  99 

in  the  matter;  and  if  old  Tom  here  wishes  to  make  his 
last  will  and  testament  in  a  manner  favorable  to  his 
darters,  he'll  say  the  same." 

"  'Twill  never  do,  young  man,"  rejoined  Hutter.  "The 
enemy  has  scouts  out  at  this  moment,  looking  for  canoes, 
and  you'll  be  seen  and  taken.  Trust  to  the  castle;  and 
above  all  things,  keep  clear  of  the  land.  Hold  out  a  week, 
and  parties  from  the  garrisons  will  drive  the  savages  off. ' ' 

"  'Twon't  be  four-and-twenty  hours,  old  fellow,  afore 
these  foxes  will  be  rafting  off  to  storm  your  castle," 
interrupted  Hurry,  with  more  of  the  heat  of  argument 
than  might  be  expected  from  a  man  who  was  bound  and 
a  captive,  and  about  whom  nothing  could  be  called  free 
but  his  opinions  and  his  tongue.  "Your  advice  has  a 
stout  sound,  but  it  will  have  a  fatal  tarmination.  If  you 
or  I  was  in  the  house,  we  might  hold  out  a  few  days,  but 
remember  that  this  lad  has  never  seen  an  inimy  afore  to 
night,  and  is  what  you  yourself  called  settlement-con- 
scienced;  though  for  my  part,  I  think  the  consciences  in 
the  settlements  pretty  much  the  same  as  they  are  out  here 
in  the  woods.  These  savages  are  making  signs,  Deer- 
slayer,  for  me  to  encourage  you  to  come  ashore  with  the 
canoe;  but  that  I'll  never  do,  as  its  ag'in  reason  and 
natur'.  As  for  old  Tom  and  myself,  whether  they'll  scalp 
us  to-night,  keep  us  for  the  torture  by  fire,  or  carry  us  to 
Canada,  is  more  than  anyone  knows  but  the  devil  that 
advises  them  how  to  act.  I've  such  a  big  and  bushy  head 
that  it's  quite  likely  they'll  indivor  to  get  two  scalps  off 
it,  for  the  bounty  is  a  tempting  thing,  or  old  Tom  and  I 
wouldn't  be  in  this  scrape.  Ay — there  they  go  with  their 
signs  ag'in,  but  if  I  advise  you  to  land  may  they  eat  me 
as  well  as  roast  me.  No,  no,  Deerslayer — do  you  keep 
off  where  you  are,  and  after  daylight,  on  no  account  come 
within  two  hundred  yards — 

This  injunction  of  Hurry's  was  stopped  by  a  hand  being 
rudely  slapped  against  his  mouth,  the  certain  sign  that 
some  one  in  the  party  sufficiently  understood  English  to 
have  at  length  detected  the  drift  of  his  discourse.  Im 
mediately  after,  the  whole  group  entered  the  forest, 
Hutter  and  Hurry  apparently  making  no  resistance  to  the 
movement.  Just  as  the  sounds  of  the  cracking  bushes 


100  THE   DEERSLAYER 

were  ceasing,  however,  the  voice  of  the  father  was  again 
heard : 

"As  you're  true  to  my  children,  God  prosper  you,  young 
man!"  were  the  words  that  reached  Deerslayer's  ears; 
after  which  he  found  himself  left  to  follow  the  dictates 
of  his  own  discretion. 

Several  minutes  elapsed,  in  death-like  stillness,  when 
the  party  on  the  shore  had  disappeared  in  the  woods. 
Owing  to  the  distance — rather  more  than  two  hundred 
yards — and  the  obscurity,  Deerslayer  had  been  able  barely 
to  distinguish  the  group,  and  to  see  it  retiring;  but  even 
this  dim  connection  with  human  forms  gave  an  animation 
to  the  scene  that  was  strongly  in  contrast  to  the  absolute 
solitude  that  remained.  Although  the  young  man  leaned 
forward  to  listen,  holding  his  breath  and  condensing 
every  faculty  in  the  single  sense  of  hearing,  not  another 
sound  reached  his  ears  to  denote  the  vicinity  of  human 
beings.  It  seemed  as  if  a  silence  that  had  never  been 
broken  reigned  on  the  spot  again;  and,  for  an  instant, 
even  that  piercing  shriek,  which  had  so  lately  broken  the 
stillness  of  the  forest,  or  the  execrations  of  March,  would 
have  been  a  relief  to  the  feeling  of  desertion  to  which  it 
gave  rise. 

This  paralysis  of  mind  and  body,  however,  could  not 
last  long  in  one  constituted  mentally  and  physically  like 
Deerslayer.  Dropping  his  paddle  into  the  water,  he 
turned  the  head  of  the  canoe,  and  proceeded  slowly,  as 
one  walks  who  thinks  intently,  towards  the  center  of  the 
lake.  When  he  believed  himself  to  have  reached  a  point 
in  a  line  with  that  where  he  had  set  the  last  canoe  adrift, 
he  changed  his  direction  northward,  keeping  the  light  air 
as  nearly  on  his  back  as  possible.  After  paddling  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  in  this  direction,  a  dark  object  became 
visible  on  the  lake,  a  little  to  the  right;  and  turning  on 
one  side  for  the  purpose,  he  had  soon  secured  his  lost 
prize  to  his  own  boat.  Deerslayer  now  examined  the 
heavens,  the  course  of  the  air,  and  the  position  of  the  two 
canoes.  Finding  nothing  in  either  to  induce  a  change  of 
plan,  he  lay  down,  and  prepared  to  catch  a  few  hours' 
sleep,  that  the  morrow  might  find  him  equal  to  its  exig 
encies. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  101 

Although  the  hardy  and  the  tired  sleep  profoundly, 
even  in  scenes  of  danger,  it  was  some  time  before  Deer- 
slayer  lost  his  recollection.  His  mind  dwelt  on  what  had 
passed,  and  his  half -conscious  faculties  kept  figuring  the 
events  of  the  night,  in  a  sort  of  waking  dream.  Suddenly 
he  was  up  and  alert,  for  he  fancied  he  heard  the  precon 
certed  signal  of  Hurry  summoning  him  to  the  shore.  But 
all  was  still  as  the  grave  again.  The  canoes  were  slowly 
drifting  northward,  the  thoughtful  stars  were  glimmering 
in  their  mild  glory  over  his  head,  and  the  forest-bound 
sheet  of  water  lay  embedded  between  its  mountains,  as 
calm  and  melancholy  as  if  never  troubled  by  the  winds, 
or  brightened  by  a  noon-day  sun.  Once  more  the  loon 
raised  his  tremulous  cry,  near  the  foot  of  the  lake,  and 
the  mystery  of  the  alarm  was  explained.  Deerslayer  ad 
justed  his  hard  pillow,  stretched  his  form  in  the  bottom 
of  the  canoe,  and  slept. 


CHAPTER  VII 

"  Clear,  placid  Leman  !    Thy  contrasted  lake 
With  the  wild  world  I  dwelt  in,  is  a  thing 
Which  warns  me,  with  its  stillness,  to  forsake 
Earth's  troubled  waters  for  a  purer  spring. 
This  quiet  sail  is  as  a  noiseless  wing 
To  waft  me  from  distraction ;  once  I  loved 
Torn  ocean's  roar,  but  thy  soft  murmuring1 
Sounds  sweet  as  if  a  sister's  voice  reproved, 
That  I  with  stern  delights  should  e'er  have  been  so  moved." 

—BYRON. 

DAY  had  fairly  dawned  before  the  young  man,  whom 
we  have  left  in  the  situation  described  in  the  last  chapter, 
again  opened  his  eyes.  This  was  no  sooner  done,  than  he 
started  up,  and  looked  about  him  with  the  eagerness  of 
one  who  suddenly  felt  the  importance  of  accurately  ascer 
taining  his  precise  position.  His  rest  had  been  deep  and 
undisturbed;  and  when  he  awoke,  it  was  with  a  clearness 
of  intellect  and  a  readiness  of  resources  that  were  much 
needed  at  that  particular  moment.  The  sun  had  not  risen, 
it  is  true,  but  the  vault  of  heaven  was  rich  with  the 
winning  softness  that  "brings  and  shuts  the  day,"  while 
the  whole  air  was  filled  with  the  carols  of  birds,  the 
hymns  of  the  feathered  tribe.  These  sounds  first  told 
Deerslayer  the  risks  he  ran.  The  air,  for  wind  it  could 
scarce  be  called,  was  still  light,  it  is  true,  but  it  had 
increased  a  little  in  the  course  of  the  night,  and  as  the 
canoes  were  mere  feathers  on  the  water,  they  had  drifted 
twice  the  expected  distance;  and,  what  was  still  more 
dangerous,  had  approached  so  near  the  base  of  the  moun 
tain  that  here  rose  precipitously  from  the  eastern  shore, 
as  to  render  the  carols  of  the  birds  plainly  audible.  This 
was  not  the  worst.  The  third  canoe  had  taken  the  same 
direction,  and  was  slowly  drifting  towards  a  point  where 
it  must  inevitably  touch,  unless  turned  aside  by  a  shift  of 
wind,  or  human  hands.  In  other  respects,  nothing  pre 
sented  itself  to  attract  attention,  or  to  awake  alarm.  The 
castle  stood  on  its  shoal,  nearly  abreast  of  the  canoes,  for 

102 


THE   DEERSLAYER  103 

the  drift  had  mounted  to  miles  in  the  course  of  the  night, 
and  the  ark  lay  fastened  to  its  piles,  as  both  had  been 
left  so  many  hours  before. 

^As  a  matter  of  course,  Deerslayer's  attention  was  first 
given  to  the  canoe  ahead.  It  was  already  quite  near  the 
point,  and  a  very  few  strokes  of  the  paddle  sufficed  to  tell 
him  that  it  must  touch  before  he  could  possibly  overtake 
it.  Just  at  this  moment,  too,  the  wind  inopportunely 
freshened,  rendering  the  drift  of  the  light  craft  much 
more  rapid  than  certain.  Feeling  the  impossibility  of 
preventing  a  contact  with  the  land,  the  young  man  wisely 
determined  not  to  heat  himself  with  unnecessary  exer 
tions;  but  first  looking  to  the  priming  of  his  piece,  he 
proceeded  slowly  and  warily  towards  the  point,  taking 
care  to  make  a  little  circuit,  that  he  might  be  exposed  on 
only  one  side,  as  he  approached. 

The  canoe  adrift  being  directed  by  no  such  intelligence, 
pursued  its  proper  way,  and  grounded  on  a  small  sunken 
rock,  at  the  distance  of  three  or  four  yards  from  the 
shore.  Just  at  that  moment,  Deerslayer  had  got  abreast 
of  the  point,  and  turned  the  bows  of  his  own  boat  to  the 
land;  first  casting  loose  his  tow,  that  his  movements 
might  be  unencumbered.  The  canoe  hung  an  instant  on 
the  rock;  then  it  rose  a  hair's  breadth  on  an  almost 
imperceptible  swell  of  the  water,  swung  round,  floated 
clear,  and  reached  the  strand.  All  this  the  young  man 
noted,  but  it  neither  quickened  his  pulses,  nor  hastened 
his  hand.  If  anyone  had  been  lying  in  wait  for  the  arrival 
of  the  waif,  he  must  be  seen,  and  the  utmost  caution  in 
approaching  the  shore  became  indispensable;  if  no  one 
was  in  ambush,  hurry  was  unnecessary.  The  point  being 
nearly  diagonally  opposite  to  the  Indian  encampment,  he 
hoped  the  last,  though  the  former  was  not  only  possible, 
but  probable;  for  the  savages  were  prompt  in  adopting 
all  the  expedients  of  their  particular  modes  of  warfare, 
and  quite  likely  had  many  scouts  searching  the  shores  for 
craft  to  carry  them  off  to  the  castle.  As  a  glance  at  the 
lake  from  any  height  or  projection  would  expose  the 
smallest  object  on  its  surface,  there  was  little  hope  that 
either  of  the  canoes  would  pass  unseen;  and  Indian  saga 
city  needed  no  instruction  to  tell  which  way  a  boat  or  a 


104  THE   DEERSLAYER 

log  would  drift,  when  the  direction  of  the  wind  was 
known.  As  Deerslayer  drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  the 
land,  the  stroke  of  his  paddle  grew  slower,  his  eye  became 
more  watchful,  and  his  ears  and  nostrils  almost  dilated 
with  the  effort  to  detect  any  lurking  danger.  'Twas  a 
trying  moment  for  a  novice,  nor  was  there  the  encourage 
ment  which  even  the  timid  sometimes  feel,  when  conscious 
of  being  observed  and  commended.  He  was  entirely  alone, 
thrown  on  his  own  resources,  and  was  cheered  by  no 
friendly  eye,  emboldened  by  no  encouraging  voice.  Not 
withstanding  all  these  circumstances,  the  most  experienced 
veteran  in  forest  warfare  could  not  have  behaved  better. 
Equally  free  from  recklessness  and  hesitation,  his  advance 
was  marked  by  a  sort  of  philosophical  prudence,  that 
appeared  to  render  him  superior  to  all  motives  but  those 
which  were  best  calculated  to  effect  his  purpose.  Such 
was  the  commencement  of  a  career  in  forest  exploits,  that 
afterwards  rendered  this  man,  in  his  way,  and  under  the 
limits  of  his  habits  and  opportunities,  as  renowned  as 
many  a  hero  whose  name  has  adorned  the  pages  of  works 
more  celebrated  than  legends  simple  as  ours  can  ever 
become. 

When  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the  shore,  Deerslayer 
rose  in  the  canoe,  gave  three  or  four  vigorous  strokes 
with  the  paddle,  sufficient  of  themselves  to  impel  the  bark 
to  land,  and  then  quickly  laying  aside  the  instrument  of 
labor,  he  seized  that  of  war.  He  was  in  the  very  act  of 
raising  the  rifle,  when  a  sharp  report  was  followed  by  the 
buzz  of  a  bullet,  that  passed  so  near  his  body  as  to  cause 
him  involuntarily  to  start.  The  next  instant  Deerslayer 
staggered,  and  fell  his  whole  length  in  the  bottom  of  the 
canoe.  A  yell — it  came  from  a  single  voice — followed, 
and  an  Indian  leaped  from  the  bushes  upon  the  open  area 
of  the  point,  bounding  towards  the  canoe.  This  was  the 
moment  the  young  man  desired.  He  rose  on  the  instant, 
and  leveled  his  own  rifle  at  his  uncovered  foe;  but  his 
finger  hesitated  about  pulling  the  trigger  on  one  whom 
he  held  at  such  a  disadvantage.  This  little  delay,  prob 
ably,  saved  the  life  of  the  Indian,  who  bounded  back  into 
the  cover  as  swiftly  as  he  had  broken  out  of  it.  In  the 
meantime  Deerslayer  had  been  swiftly  approaching  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  105 

land,  and  his  own  canoe  reached  the  point  just  as  his 
enemy  disappeared.  As  its  movements  had  not  been 
directed,  it  touched  the  shore  a  few  yards  from  the  other 
boat;  and  though  the  rifle  of  his  foe  had  to  be  loaded, 
there  was  not  time  to  secure  his  prize,  and  to  carry  it 
beyond  danger,  before  he  would  be  exposed  to  another 
shot.  Under  the  circumstances,  therefore,  he  did  not 
pause  an  instant,  but  dashed  into  the  woods  and  sought  a 
cover. 

On  the  immediate  point  there  was  a  small  open  area, 
partly  in  native  grass,  and  partly  beach,  but  a  dense 
fringe  of  bushes  lined  its  upper  side.  This  narrow  belt 
of  dwarf  vegetation  passed,  one  issued  immediately  into 
the  high  and  gloomy  vaults  of  the  forest.  The  land  was 
tolerably  level  for  a  few  hundred  feet,  and  then  it  rose 
precipitously  in  a  mountain-side.  The  trees  were  tall, 
large,  and  so  free  from  underbrush,  that  they  resembled 
vast  columns,  irregularly  scattered,  upholding  a  dome  of 
leaves.  Although  they  stood  tolerably  close  together,  for 
their  ages  and  size,  the  eye  could  penetrate  to  consider 
able  distances;  and  bodies  of  men,  even,  might  have 
engaged  beneath  their  cover  with  concert  and  intelli 
gence. 

Deerslayer  knew  that  his  adversary  must  be  employed 
in  reloading,  unless  he  had  fled.  The  former  proved  to 
be  the  case,  for  the  young  man  had  no  sooner  placed  him 
self  behind  a  tree  than  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  arm  of 
the  Indian,  his  body  being  concealed  by  an  oak,  in  the 
very  act  of  forcing  the  leathered  bullet  home.  Nothing 
would  have  been  easier  than  to  spring  forward,  and  decide 
the  affair  by  a  close  assault  on  his  unprepared  foe;  but 
every  feeling  of  Deerslayer  revolted  at  such  a  step,  al 
though  his  own  life  had  just  been  attempted  from  a 
cover.  He  was  yet  unpractised  in  the  ruthless  expedients 
of  savage  warfare,  of  which  he  knew  nothing  except  by 
tradition  and  theory,  and  it  struck  him  as  an  unfair 
advantage  to  assail  an  unarmed  foe.  His  color  had 
heightened,  his  eye  frowned,  his  lips  were  compressed, 
and  all  his  energies  were  collected  and  ready;  but,  in 
stead  of  advancing  to  fire,  he  dropped  his  rifle  to  the 
usual  position  of  a  sportsman  in  readiness  to  catch  his 


106  THE   DEERSLAYER 

aim,  and  muttered  to  himself,  unconscious  that  he  was 
speaking: 

"No,  no — that  may  be  red-skin  warfare,  but  it's  not  a 
Christian's  gifts.  Let  the  miscreant  charge,  and  then 
we'll  take  it  out  like  men;  for  the  canoe  he  must  not, 
and  shall  not  have.  No,  no;  let  him  have  time  to  load, 
and  God  will  take  care  of  the  right!" 

All  this  time  the  Indian  had  been  so  intent  on  his  own 
movements,  that  he  was  even  ignorant  that  his  enemy  was 
in  the  wood.  His  only  apprehension  was,  that  the  canoe 
would  be  recovered  and  carried  away  before  he  might  be 
in  readiness  to  prevent  it.  He  had  sought  the  cover  from 
habit,  but  was  within  a  few  feet  of  the  fringe  of  bushes, 
and  could  be  at  the  margin  of  the  forest  in  readiness  to 
fire  in  a  moment.  The  distance  between  him  and  his 
enemy  was  about  fifty  yards,  and  the  trees  were  so  ar 
ranged  by  nature  that  the  line  of  sight  was  not  inter 
rupted,  except  by  the  particular  trees  behind  which 
each  party  stood. 

His  rifle  was  no  sooner  loaded,  than  the  savage  glanced 
around  him,  and  advanced  incautiously  as  regarded  the 
real,  but  stealthily  as  respected  the  fancied  position  of 
his  enemy  until  he  was  fairly  exposed.  Then  Deerslayer 
stepped  from  behind  his  own  cover,  and  hailed  him. 

"This-a-way,  red-skin;  this-a-way,  if  you're  looking 
for  me,"  he  called  out.  "I'm  young  in  war,  but  not  so 
young  as  to  stand  on  an  open  beach  to  be  shot  down  like 
an  owl,  by  daylight.  It  rests  on  yourself  whether  it's 
peace  or  war  atween  us;  for  my  gifts  are  white  gifts, 
and  I'm  not  one  of  them  that  thinks  it  valiant  to  slay 
human  mortals,  singly,  in  the  woods." 

The  savage  was  a  good  deal  startled  by  this  sudden  dis 
covery  of  the  danger  he  ran.  He  had  a  little  knowledge 
of  English,  however,  and  caught  the  drift  of  the  other's 
meaning.  He  was  also  too  well  schooled  to  betray  alarm, 
but,  dropping  the  butt  of  his  rifle  to  the  earth,  with  an 
air  of  confidence,  he  made  a  gesture  of  lofty  courtesy. 
All  this  was  done  with  the  ease  and  self-possession  of  one 
accustomed  to  consider  no  man  his  superior.  In  the 
midst  of  this  consummate  cacting,  however,  the  volcano 
that  raged  within  caused  his  eyes  to  glare,  and  his  nos- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  107 

trils  to  dilate,  like  those  of  some  wild  beast  that  is  sud 
denly  prevented  from  taking  the  fatal  leap. 

"Two  canoes,"  he  said,  in  the  deep  guttural  tones  of 
his  race,  holding  up  the  number  of  fingers  he  mentioned, 
by  way  of  preventing  mistakes;  "one  for  you — one  for 
me." 

"No,  no,  Mingo,  that  will  never  do.  You  own  neither; 
and  neither  shall  you  have,  as  long  as  I  can  prevent  it.  I 
know  it's  war  atween  your  people  and  mine,  but  that's 
no  reason  why  human  mortals  should  slay  each  other,  like 
savage  creatur's  that  meet  in  the  woods;  go  your  way, 
then,  and  leave  me  to  go  mine.  The  world  is  large  enough 
for  us  both;  and  when  we  meet  fairly  in  battle,  why,  the 
Lord  will  order  the  fate  of  each  of  us." 

"Good;"  exclaimed  the  Indian;  "my  brother  mission 
ary — great  talk;  all  about  Manitou." 

"Not  so — not  so,  warrior.  I'm  not  good  enough  for 
the  Moravians,  and  am  too  good  for  most  of  the  other 
vagabonds  that  preach  about  in  the  woods.  No,  no;  I'm 
only  a  hunter,  as  yet,  though  afore  the  peace  is  made, 
'tis  like  enough  there'll  be  occasion  to  strike  a  blow  at 
some  of  your  people.  Still,  I  wish  it  to  be  done  in  fair 
fight,  and  not  in  a  quarrel  about  the  ownership  of  a  mis 
erable  canoe." 

"Good!  My  brother  very  young — but  he  is  very  wise. 
Little  warrior  —  great  talker.  Chief,  sometimes,  in 
council." 

"I  don't  know  this,  nor  do  I  say  it,  Injin,"  returned 
Deerslayer,  coloring  a  little  at  the  ill-concealed  sarcasm 
of  the  other's  manner;  "I  look  forward  to  a  life  in  the 
woods,  and  I  only  hope  it  may  be  a  peaceable  one.  All 
young  men  must  go  on  the  war-path,  when  there's  occa 
sion,  but  war  isn't  needfully  massacre.  I've  seen  enough 
of  the  last,  this  very  night,  to  know  that  Providence 
frowns  on  it;  and  I  now  invite  you  to  go  your  own  way, 
while  I  go  mine;  and  hope  that  we  may  part  fri'nds." 

"Good!  My  brother  has  two  scalp — gray  hair  under 
t'other.  Old  wisdom — young  tongue." 

Here  the  savage  advanced  with  confidence,  his  hand  ex 
tended,  his  face  smiling,  and  his  whole  bearing  denoting 
amity  and  respect.  Deerslayer  met  his  offered  friendship 


108  THE   DEERSLAYER 

in  a  proper  spirit,  and  they  shook  hands  cordially,  each 
endeavoring  to  assure  the  other  of  his  sincerity  and  desire 
to  be  at  peace. 

"All  have  his  own,"  said  the  Indian;  "my  canoe,  mine; 
your  canoe,  your'n.  Go  look;  if  your'n,  you  keep;  if 
mine,  I  keep." 

"That's  just,  red-skin;  though  you  must  be  wrong  in 
thinking  the  canoe  your  property.  Hows' ever,  seein'  is 
believin',  and  we'll  go  down  to  the  shore,  where  you  may 
look  with  your  own  eyes;  for  it's  likely  you'll  object  to 
trustin'  altogether  to  mine." 

The  Indian  uttered  his  favorite  exclamation  of  "Good!" 
and  then  they  walked  side  by  side,  towards  the  shore. 
There  was  no  apparent  distrust  in  the  manner  of  either, 
the  Indian  moving  in  advance,  as  if  he  wished  to  show  his 
companion  that  he  did  not  fear  turning  his  back  to  him. 
As  they  reached  the  open  ground,  the  former  pointed  to 
wards  Deerslayer's  boat,  and  said  emphatically: 

"Nomine — pale-face  canoe.  This  red-man's.  No  want 
other  man's  canoe — want  his  own." 

"You're  wrong,  red-skin,  you're  altogether  wrong. 
This  canoe  was  left  in  old  Hutter's  keeping,  and  is 
his'n  according  to  all  law,  red  or  white,  till  its  owner 
comes  to  claim  it.  Here's  the  seats  and  the  stitching  of 
the  bark  to  speak  for  themselves.  No  man  ever  know'd 
an  Injin  to  turn  off  such  work." 

"Good!  My  brother  little  old — big  wisdom.  Injin  no 
make  him.  White  man's  work." 

"I'm  glad  you  think  so,  for  holding  out  to  the  contrary 
might  have  made  ill  blood  atween  us,  every  one  having  a 
right  to  take  possession  of  his  own.  I'll  just  shove  the 
canoe  out  of  reach  of  dispute  at  once,  as  the  quickest  way 
of  settling  difficulties." 

While  Deerslayer  was  speaking,  he  put  a  foot  against 
the  end  of  the  light  boat,  and  giving  a  vigorous  shove,  he 
sent  it  out  into  the  lake  a  hundred  feet  or  more,  where 
taking  the  true  current,  it  would  necessarily  float  past 
the  point,  and  be  in  no  further  danger  of  coming  ashore. 
The  savage  started  at  this  ready  and  decided  expedient, 
and  his  companion  saw  that  he  cast  a  hurried  and  fierce 
glance  at  his  own  canoe,  or  that  which  contained  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  109 

paddles.  The  change  of  manner,  however,  was  but  mo 
mentary,  and  then  the  Iroquois  resumed  his  air  of  friend 
liness,  and  a  smile  of  satisfaction. 

"Good!"  he  repeated,  with  stronger  emphasis  than 
ever.  "Young  head,  old  mind.  Know  how  to  settle 
quarrel.  Farewell,  brother.  He  go  to  house  in  water — 
muskrat  house — Injin  go  to  camp;  tell  chiefs  no  find 
canoe." 

Deerslayer  was  not  sorry  to  hear  this  proposal,  for  he 
felt  anxious  to  join  the  females,  and  he  took  the  offered 
hand  of  the  Indian  very  willingly.  The  parting  words 
were  friendly,  and  while  the  red  man  walked  calmly 
towards  the  wood,  with  the  rifle  in  the  hollow  of  his  arm, 
without  once  looking  back  in  uneasiness  or  distrust,  the 
white  man  moved  towards  the  remaining  canoe,  carrying 
his  piece  in  the  same  pacific  manner,  it  is  true,  but  keep 
ing  his  eyes  fastened  on  the  movements  of  the  other. 
This  distrust,  however,  seemed  to  be  altogether  uncalled 
for,  and  as  if  ashamed  to  have  entertained  it,  the  young 
man  averted  his  look,  and  stepped  carelessly  up  to  his 
boat.  Here  he  began  to  push  the  canoe  from  the  shore, 
and  to  make  his  other  preparations  for  departing.  He 
might  have  been  thus  employed  a  minute,  when,  happen 
ing  to  turn  his  face  towards  the  land,  his  quick  and  cer 
tain  eye  told  him,  at  a  glance,  the  imminent  jeopardy  in 
which  his  life  was  placed.  The  black,  ferocious  eyes  of 
the  savage  were  glancing  on  him,  like  those  of  the  crouch 
ing  tiger,  through  a  small  opening  in  the  bushes,  and  the 
muzzle  of  his  rifle  seemed  already  to  be  opening  in  a  line 
with  his  own  body. 

Then,  indeed,  the  long  practise  of  Deerslayer,  as  a 
hunter,  did  him  good  service.  Accustomed  to  fire  with 
the  deer  on  the  bound,  and  often  when  the  precise  position 
of  the  animal's  body  had  in  a  manner  to  be  guessed  at,  he 
used  the  same  expedients  here.  To  cock  and  poise  his 
rifle  were  the  acts  of  a  single  moment  and  a  single  motion; 
then  aiming  almost  without  sighting,  he  fired  into  the 
bushes  where  he  knew  a  body  ought  to  be,  in  order  to 
sustain  the  appalling  countenance  which  alone  was  visible. 
There  was  not  time  to  raise  the  piece  any  higher,  or  to 
take  a  more  deliberate  aim.  So  rapid  were  his  movements 


110  THE   DEERSLAYER 

that  both  parties  discharged  their  pieces  at  the  same 
instant,  the  concussions  mingling  in  one  report.  The 
mountains,  indeed,  gave  back  but  a  single  echo.  Deer- 
slayer  dropped  his  piece,  and  stood  with  head  erect, 
steady  as  one  of  the  pines  in  the  calm  of  a  June  morning, 
watching  the  result;  while  the  savage  gave  the  yell  that 
has  become  historical  for  its  appalling  influence,  leaped 
through  the  bushes,  and  came  bounding  across  the  open 
ground,  flourishing  a  tomahawk.  Still  Deerslayer  moved 
not,  but  stood  with  his  unloaded  rifle  fallen  against  his 
shoulders,  while,  with  a  hunter's  habits,  his  hands  were 
mechanically  feeling  for  the  powder-horn  and  charger. 
When  about  forty  feet  from  his  enemy  the  savage  hurled 
his  keen  weapon;  but  it  was  with  an  eye  so  vacant,  and  a 
hand  so  unsteady  and  feeble,  that  the  young  man  caught 
it  by  the  handle  as  it  was  flying  past  him.  At  that  instant 
the  Indian  staggered  and  fell  his  whole  length  on  the 
ground. 

"I  know'd  it — I  know'd  it!"  exclaimed  Deerslayer,  who 
was  already  preparing  to  force  a  fresh  bullet  into  his 
rifle;  "I  know'd  it  must  come  to  this,  as  soon  as  I  had 
got  the  range  from  the  creatur's  eyes.  A  man  sights 
suddenly,  and  fires  quick  when  his  own  life's  in  danger; 
yes,  I  know'd  it  would  come  to  this.  I  was  about  the 
hundredth  part  of  a  second  too  quick  for  him,  or  it  might 
have  been  bad  for  me!  The  riptyle's  bullet  has  just 
grazed  my  side — but  say  what  you  will  for  or  ag'in  'em, 
a  red-skin  is  by  no  means  as  sartain  with  powder  and  ball 
as  a  white  man.  Their  gifts  don't  seem  to  lie  that-away. 
Even  Chingachgook,  great  as  he  is  in  other  matters,  isn't 
downright  deadly  with  the  rifle." 

By  this  time  the  piece  was  reloaded,  and  Deerslayer, 
after  tossing  the  tomahawk  into  the  canoe,  advanced  to 
his  victim,  and  stood  over  him,  leaning  on  his  rifle,  in 
melancholy  attention.  It  was  the  first  instance  in  which 
he  had  seen  a  man  fall  in  battle — it  was  the  first  fellow 
creature  against  whom  he  had  ever  seriously  raised  his 
own  hand.  The  sensations  were  novel;  and  regret,  with 
the  freshness  of  our  better  feelings,  mingled  with  his 
triumph.  The  Indian  was  not  dead,  though  shot  directly 
through  the  body.  He  lay  on  his  back  motionless,  but  his 


THE   DEERSLAYER  111 

eyes,  now  full  of  consciousness,  watched  each  action  of 
his  victor — as  the  fallen  bird  regards  the  fowler — jealous 
of  every  movement.  The  man  probably  expected  the  fatal 
blow  which  was  to  precede  the  loss  of  his  scalp;  or  per 
haps  he  anticipated  that  this  latter  act  of  cruelty  would 
precede  his  death.  Deerslayer  read  his  thoughts;  and  he 
found  a  melancholy  satisfaction  in  relieving  the  appre 
hensions  of  the  helpless  savage. 

"No,  no,  red-skin,"  he  said;  "you've  nothing  more  to 
fear  from  me.  I  am  of  a  Christian  stock,  and  scalping  is 
not  of  my  gifts.  I'll  just  make  sartain  of  your  rifle,  and 
then  come  back  and  do  you  what  sarvice  I  can.  Though 
here  I  can't  stay  much  longer,  as  the  crack  of  three  rifles 
will  be  apt  to  bring  some  of  your  devils  down  upon  me." 

The  close  of  this  was  said  in  a  sort  of  a  soliloquy,  as 
the  young  man  went  in  quest  of  the  fallen  rifle.  The 
piece  was  found  where  its  owner  had  dropped  it,  and  was 
immediately  put  into  the  canoe.  Laying  his  own  rifle  at 
its  side,  Deerslayer  then  returned  and  stood  over  the 
Indian  again. 

"All  inmity  atween  you  and  me's  at  an  ind,  red-skin," 
he  said;  "and  you  may  set  your  heart  at  rest  on  the  score 
of  the  scalp,  or  any  further  injury.  My  gifts  are  white, 
as  I've  told  you;  and  I  hope  my  conduct  will  be  white 
also!" 

Could  looks  have  conveyed  all  they  meant,  it  is  probable 
Deerslayer's  innocent  vanity  on  the  subject  of  color  would 
have  been  rebuked  a  little;  but  he  comprehended  the 
gratitude  that  was  expressed  in  the  eyes  of  the  dying 
savage,  without  in  the  least  detecting  the  bitter  sarcasm 
that  struggled  with  the  better  feeling. 

"Water!"  ejaculated  the  thirsty  and  unfortunate  crea 
ture;  "give  poor  Injin  water." 

"Ay,  water  you  shall  have,  if  you  drink  the  lake  dry. 
I'll  just  carry  you  down  to  it,  that  you  may  take  your 
fill.  This  is  the  way,  they  tell  me,  with  all  wounded 
people — water  is  their  greatest  comfort  and  delight." 

So  saying,  Deerslayer  raised  the  Indian  in  his  arms,  and 
carried  him  to  the  lake.  Here  he  first  helped  him  to  take 
an  attitude  in  which  he  could  appease  his  burning  thirst; 
after  which  he  seated  himself  on  a  stone,  and  took  the 


112  THE   DEERSLAYER 

head  of  his  wounded  adversary  in  his  own  lap,  and  en 
deavored  to  soothe  his  anguish  in  the  best  manner  he 
could. 

"It  would  be  sinful  in  me  to  tell  you  your  time  hadn't 
come,  warrior,"  he  commenced,  "and  therefore  I'll  not 
say  it.  You've  passed  the  middle  age  already,  and,  con- 
siderin'  the  sort  of  lives  ye  lead,  your  days  have  been 
pretty  well  filled.  The  principal  thing  now,  is  to  look 
forward  to  what  comes  next.  Neither  red-skin  nor  pale 
face,  on  the  whole,  calculates  much  on  sleepin'  forever; 
but  both  expect  to  live  in  another  world.  Each  has  his 
gifts,  and  will  be  judged  by  'em,  and,  I  suppose,  you've 
thought  these  matters  over  enough,  not  to  stand  in  need 
of  sarmons  when  the  trial  comes.  You'll  find  your  happy 
hunting-grounds,  if  you've  been  a  just  Injin;  if  an  onjust, 
you'll  meet  your  desarts  in  another  way.  I've  my  own 
idees  about  these  things;  but  you're  too  old  and  exper'- 
enced  to  need  any  explanations  from  one  as  young  as  I." 

"Good!"  ejaculated  the  Indian,  whose  voice  retained 
its  depth  even  as  life  ebbed  away;  "young  head — old 
wisdom!" 

"It's  sometimes  a  consolation,  when  the  ind  comes,  to 
know  that  them  we've  harmed,  or  tried  to  harm,  forgive 
us.  I  suppose  natur'  seeks  this  relief,  by  way  of  getting 
a  pardon  on  'arth;  as  we  never  can  know  whether  He 
pardons,  who  is  all  in  all,  till  judgment  itself  comes.  It's 
soothing  to  know  that  any  pardon  at  such  times;  and  that, 
I  conclude,  is  the  secret.  Now,  as  for  myself,  I  overlook 
altogether  your  designs  ag'in  my  life;  first,  because  no 
harm  came  of  'em;  next  because  it's  your  gifts,  and 
natur',  and  trainin',  and  I  ought  not  to  have  trusted  you 
at  all;  and,  finally  and  chiefly,  because  I  can  bear  no  ill- 
will  to  a  dying  man,  whether  heathen  or  Christian.  So 
put  your  heart  at  ease,  so  far  as  I'm  consarned;  you  know 
best  what  other  matters  ought  to  trouble  you,  or  what 
ought  to  give  you  satisfaction  in  so  trying  a  moment." 

It  is  probable  that  the  Indian  had  some  of  the  fearful 
glimpses  of  the  unknown  state  of  being  which  God,  in 
mercy,  seems  at  times  to  afford  to  all  the  human  race;  but 
they  were  necessarily  in  conformity  with  his  habits  and 
prejudices.  Like  most  of  his  people,  and  like  too  many 


THE   DEERSLAYER  113 

of  our  own,  he  thought  more  of  dying  in  a  way  to  gain 
applause  among  those  he  left  than  to  secure  a  better  state 
of  existence  hereafter.  While  Deerslayer  was  speaking, 
his  mind  was  a  little  bewildered,  though  he  felt  that  the 
intention  was  good;  and  when  he  had  done,  a  regret 
passed  over  his  spirit  that  none  of  his  own  tribe  were 
present  to  witness  his  stoicism,  under  extreme  bodily 
suffering,  and  the  firmness  with  which  he  met  his  end. 
With  the  high  innate  courtesy  that  so  often  distinguishes 
the  Indian  warrior  before  he  becomes  corrupted  by  too 
much  intercourse  with  the  worst  class  of  the  white  men, 
he  endeavored  to  express  his  thankfulness  for  the  other's 
good  intentions,  and  to  let  him  understand  that  they  were 
appreciated. 

"Good!"  he  repeated,  for  this  was  an  English  word 
much  used  by  the  savages,  "good!  young  head;  young 
heart,  too.  Old  heart  tough;  no  shed  tear.  Hear  Indian 
when  he  die,  and  no  want  to  lie — what  he  call  him?" 

"Deerslayer  is  the  name  I  bear  now,  though  the  Dela- 
wares  have  said  that  when  I  get  back  from  this  war-path 
I  shall  have  a  more  manly  title,  provided  I  can  'arn  one." 

"That  good  name  for  boy — poor  name  for  warrior.  He 
get  better  quick.  No  fear  there" — the  savage  had 
strength  sufficient,  under  the  strong  excitement  he  felt, 
to  raise  a  hand  and  tap  the  young  man  on  his  breast — 
"eye  sartain — finger  lightning — aim,  death — great  war 
rior  soon.  No  Deerslayer— Hawkeye — Hawkeye — Hawk- 
eye.  Shake  hand." 

Deerslayer — or  Hawkeye,  as  the  youth  was  then  first 
named,  for  in  after  years  he  bore  the  appellation  through 
out  all  that  region — Deerslayer  took  the  hand  of  the  sav 
age,  whose  last  breath  was  drawn  in  that  attitude,  gazing 
in  admiration  at  the  countenance  of  a  stranger,  who  had 
shown  so  much  readiness,  skill,  and  firmness,  in  a  scene 
that  was  equally  trying  and  novel.  When  the  reader 
remembers  it  is  the  highest  gratification  an  Indian  can 
receive  to  see  his  enemy  betray  weakness,  he  will  be  better 
able  to  appreciate  the  conduct  which  had  extorted  so  great 
a  concession  at  such  a  moment. 

"His  spirit  has  fled!"  said  Deerslayer,  in  a  suppressed, 
melancholy  voice.  "Ah's  me!  Well,  to  this  we  must  all 


114  THE   DEERSLAYER 

come,  sooner  or  later;  and  he  is  happiest,  let  his  skin  be 
of  what  color  it  may,  who  is  best  fitted  to  meet  it.  Here 
lies  the  body  of  no  doubt  a  brave  warrior,  and  the  soul  is 
already  flying  towards  its  heaven  or  hell,  whether  that  be 
a  happy  hunting-ground,  a  place  scant  of  game,  regions 
of  glory,  according  to  Moravian  doctrine,  or  flames  of 
fire!  So  it  happens,  too,  as  regards  other  matters!  Here 
have  old  Hutter  and  Hurry  Harry  got  themselves  into 
difficulty,  if  they  haven't  got  themselves  into  torment  and 
death,  and  all  for  a  bounty  that  luck  offers  to  me  in  what 
many  would  think  a  lawful  and  suitable  manner.  But 
not  a  farthing  of  such  money  shall  cross  my  hand.  White 
I  was  born,  and  white  will  I  die;  clinging  to  color  to  the 
last,  even  though  the  king's  majesty,  his  governors,  and 
all  his  councils,  both  at  home  and  in  the  colonies,  forget 
from  what  they  come,  and  where  they  hope  to  go,  and  all 
for  a  little  advantage  in  warfare.  No,  no,  warrior,  hand 
of  mine  shall  never  molest  your  scalp,  and  so  your  soul 
may  rest  in  peace  on  the  p'int  of  making  a  decent  ap 
pearance  when  the  body  comes  to  join  it,  in  your  own 
land  of  spirits." 

Deerslayer  arose  as  soon  as  he  had  spoken.  Then  he 
placed  the  body  of  the  dead  man  in  a  sitting  posture,  with 
its  back  against  the  little  rock,  taking  the  necessary  care 
to  prevent  it  from  falling  or  in  any  way  settling  into  an 
attitude  that  might  be  thought  unseemly  by  the  sensitive, 
though  wild  notions  of  a  savage.  When  this  duty  was 
performed,  the  young  man  stood  gazing  at  the  grim  coun 
tenance  of  his  fallen  foe,  in  a  sort  of  melancholy  abstrac 
tion.  As  was  his  practise,  however,  a  habit  gained  by 
living  so  much  alone  in  the  forest,  he  then  began  again  to 
give  utterance  to  his  thoughts  and  feelings  aloud. 

"I  didn't  wish  your  life,  red-skin, "  he  said,  "but  you 
left  me  no  choice  atween  killing  or  being  killed.  Each 
party  acted  according  to  his  gifts,  I  suppose,  and  blame 
can  light  on  neither.  You  were  treacherous,  according 
to  your  natur'  in  war,  and  I  was  a  little  oversightful,  as 
I'm  apt  to  be  in  trusting  others.  Well,  this  is  my  first 
battle  with  a  human  mortal,  though  it's  not  likely  to  be 
the  last.  I  have  fou't  most  of  the  creatur's  of  the  forest, 
such  as  bears,  wolves,  painters,  and  catamounts,  but  this 


THE   DEERSLAYER  115 

is  the  beginning  with  the  red-skins.  If  I  was  Injin  born, 
now,  I  might  tell  of  this,  or  carry  in  the  scalp,  and  boast 
of  the  expl'ite  afore  the  whole  tribe;  or,  if  my  inimy  had 
only  been  even  a  bear,  'twould  have  been  nat'ral  and 
proper  to  let  everybody  know  what  had  happened ;  but  I 
don't  well  see  how  I'm  to  let  even  Chingachgook  into  this 
secret,  so  long  as  it  can  be  done  only  by  boasting  with  a 
white  tongue.  And  why  should  I  wish  to  boast  of  it  a'ter 
all?  It's  slaying  a  human,  although  he  was  a  savage;  and 
how  do  I  know  that  he  was  a  just  Injin;  and  that  he  has 
not  been  taken  away  suddenly  to  anything  but  happy 
hunting-grounds.  When  it's  onsartain  whether  good  or 
evil  has  been  done,  the  wisest  way  is  not  to  be  boastful — 
still,  I  should  like  Chingachgook  to  know  that  I  haven't 
discredited  the  Delawares,  or  my  training!" 

Part  of  this  was  uttered  aloud,  while  part  was  merely 
muttered  between  the  speaker's  teeth;  his  more  confident 
opinions  enjoying  the  first  advantage,  while  his  doubts 
were  expressed  in  the  latter  mode.  Soliloquy  and  reflec 
tion  received  a  startling  interruption  however  by  the 
sudden  appearance  of  a  second  Indian  on  the  lake  shore,  a 
few  hundred  yards  from  the  point.  This  man,  evidently 
another  scout,  who  had  probably  been  drawn  to  the  place 
by  the  reports  of  the  rifles,  broke  out  of  the  forest  with 
so  little  caution  that  Deerslayer  caught  a  view  of  his 
person  before  he  was  himself  discovered.  When  the  latter 
event  did  occur,  as  was  the  case  a  moment  later,  the  sav 
age  gave  a  loud  yell,  which  was  answered  by  a  dozen 
voices  from  different  parts  of  the  mountain-side.  There 
was  no  longer  any  time  for  delay;  in  another  minute  the 
boat  was  quitting  the  shore  under  long  and  steady  sweeps 
of  the  paddle. 

As  soon  as  Deerslayer  believed  himself  to  be  at  a  safe 
distance,  he  ceased  his  efforts,  permitting  the  little  bark 
to  drift,  while  he  leisurely  took  a  survey  of  the  state  of 
things.  The  canoe  first  sent  adrift  was  floating  before 
the  air,  quite  a  quarter  of  a  mile  above  him,  and  a  little 
nearer  to  the  shore  than  he  wished,  now  that  he  knew 
more  of  the  savages  were  so  near  at  hand.  The  canoe 
shoved  from  the  point  was  within  a  few  yards  of  him,  he 
having  directed  his  own  course  towards  it  on  quitting  the 


116  THE   DEERSLAYER 

land.  The  dead  Indian  lay  in  grim  quiet  where  he  had 
left  him,  the  warrior  who  had  shown  himself  from  the 
forest  had  already  vanished,  and  the  woods  themselves 
were  as  silent  and  seemingly  deserted  as  the  day  they 
came  fresh  from  the  hands  of  their  great  Creator.  This 
profound  stillness,  however,  lasted  but  a  moment.  When 
time  had  been  given  to  the  scouts  of  the  enemy  to  recon- 
noiter,  they  burst  out  of  the  thicket  upon  the  naked  point 
filling  the  ear  with  yells  of  fury  at  discovering  the  death 
of  their  companion.  These  cries  were  immediately  suc 
ceeded  by  shouts  of  delight  when  they  reached  the  body 
and  clustered  eagerly  around  it.  Deerslayer  was  a  suffi 
cient  adept  in  the  usages  of  the  natives  to  understand  the 
reason  of  the  change.  The  yell  was  the  customary  lamen 
tation  at  the  loss  of  a  warrior,  the  shout  a  sign  of  rejoic 
ing  that  the  conqueror  had  not  been  able  to  secure  the 
scalp;  the  trophy,  without  which  a  victory  is  never  con 
sidered  complete.  The  distance  at  which  the  canoes  lay 
probably  prevented  any  attempts  to  injure  the  conqueror, 
the  American  Indian,  like  the  panther  of  his  own  woods, 
seldom  making  any  effort  against  his  foe  unless  tolerably 
certain  it  is  under  circumstances  that  may  be  expected  to 
prove  effective. 

As  the  young  man  had  no  longer  any  motive  to  remain 
near  the  point,  he  prepared  to  collect  his  canoes,  in  order 
to  tow  them  off  to  the  castle.  That  nearest  was  soon  in 
tow,  when  he  proceeded  in  quest  of  the  other,  which  was 
all  this  time  floating  up  the  lake.  The  eye  of  Deerslayer 
was  no  sooner  fastened  on  this  last  boat,  than  it  struck 
him  that  it  was  nearer  to  the  shore  than  it  would  have 
been  had  it  merely  followed  the  course  of  the  gentle  cur 
rent  of  air.  He  began  to  suspect  the  influence  of  some 
unseen  current  in  the  water,  and  he  quickened  his  exer 
tions,  in  order  to  regain  possession  of  it  before  it  could 
drift  into  a  dangerous  proximity  to  the  woods.  On 
getting  nearer,  he  thought  that  the  canoe  had  a  percep 
tible  motion  through  the  water,  and,  as  it  lay  broadside 
to  the  air,  that  this  motion  was  taking  it  towards  the 
land.  A  few  vigorous  strokes  of  the  paddle  carried  him 
still  nearer,  when  the  mystery  was  explained.  Something 
was  evidently  in  motion  on  the  off-side  of  the  canoe,  or 


THE   DEERSLAYER  117 

that  which  was  furthest  from  himself,  and  closer  scrutiny 
showed  that  it  was  a  naked  human  arm.  An  Indian  was 
lying  in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe,  and  was  propelling  it 
slowly  but  certainly  to  the  shore,  using  his  hand  as  a 
paddle.  Deerslayer  undersood  the  whole  artifice  at  a 
glance.  A  savage  had  swum  off  to  the  boat  while  he  was 
occupied  with  his  enemy  on  the  point,  got  possession,  and 
was  using  these  means  to  urge  it  to  the  shore. 

Satisfied  that  the  man  in  the  canoe  could  have  no  arms, 
Deerslayer  did  not  hesitate  to  dash  close  alongside  of  the 
retiring  boat,  without  deeming  it  necessary  to  raise  his 
own  rifle.  As  soon  as  the  wash  of  the  water,  which  he 
made  in  approaching,  became  audible  to  the  prostrate 
savage,  the  latter  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  uttered  an 
exclamation  that  proved  how  completely  he  was  taken  by 
surprise. 

"If  you've  enj'yed  yourself  enough  in  that  canoe,  red 
skin,"  Deerslayer  coolly  observed,  stopping  his  own 
career  in  sufficient  time  to  prevent  an  absolute  collision 
between  the  two  boats,  "if  you've  enj'yed  yourself 
enough  in  that  canoe,  you'll  do  a  prudent  act  by  taking 
to  the  lake  ag'in.  I'm  reasonable  in  these  matters,  and 
don't  crave  your  blood,  though  there's  them  about  that 
would  look  upon  you  more  as  a  due-bill  for  the  bounty 
than  a  human  mortal.  Take  to  the  lake  this  minute,  afore 
\ve  get  to  hot  words. ' ' 

The  savage  was  one  of  those  who  did  not  understand  a 
word  of  English,  and  he  was  indebted  to  the  gestures  of 
Deerslayer,  and  to  the  expression  of  an  eye  that  did  not 
often  deceive,  for  an  imperfect  comprehension  of  his 
meaning.  Perhaps,  too,  the  sight  of  the  rifle  that  lay  so 
near  the  hand  of  the  white  man  quickened  his  decision. 
At  all  events,  he  crouched  like  a  tiger  about  to  take  his 
leap,  uttered  a  yell,  and  the  next  instant  his  naked  body 
disappeared  in  the  water.  When  he  rose  to  take  breath, 
it  was  at  the  distance  of  several  yards  from  the  canoe, 
and  the  hasty  glance  he  threw  behind  him  denoted  how 
much  he  feared  the  arrival  of  a  fatal  messenger  from  the 
rifle  of  his  foe.  But  the  young  man  made  no  indication 
of  any  hostile  intention.  Deliberately  securing  the  canoe 
to  the  others,  he  began  to  paddle  from  the  shore;  and  by 


118  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  time  the  Indian  reached  the  land,  and  had  shaken 
himself,  like  a  spaniel  on  quitting  the  water,  his  dreaded 
enemy  was  already  beyond  rifle-shot  on  his  way  to  the 
castle.  As  was  so  much  his  practise,  Deerslayer  did  not 
fail  to  soliloquize  on  what  had  just  occurred,  while 
steadily  pursuing  his  course  towards  the  point  of  destin 
ation. 

"Well,  well,"  he  commenced,  "  'twould  have  been 
wrong  to  kill  a  human  mortal  without  an  object.  Scalps 
are  of  no  account  with  me  and  life  is  sweet,  and  ought 
not  to  be  taken  marcilessly  by  them  that  have  white  gifts. 
The  savage  was  a  Mingo,  it's  true;  and  I  make  no  doubt 
he  is,  and  will  be  as  long  as  he  lives,  a  ra'al  riptyle  and 
vagabond;  but  that's  no  reason  I  should  forget  my  gifts 
and  color.  No,  no — let  him  go;  if  ever  we  meet  ag'in, 
rifle  in  hand,  why  then  'twill  be  seen  which  has  the 
stoutest  heart  and  the  quickest  eye.  Hawkeye!  That's 
not  a  bad  name  for  a  warrior,  sounding  much  more  man 
ful  and  valiant  than  Deerslayer!  'Twouldn't  be  a  bad 
title  to  begin  with,  and  it  has  been  fairly  'arned.  If 
'twas  Chingachgook,  now,  he  might  go  home  and  boast  of 
his  deed,  and  the  chiefs  would  name  him  Hawkeye  in  a 
minute;  but  it  don't  become  white  blood  to  brag,  and 
'tisn't  easy  to  see  how  the  matter  can  be  known  unless  I 
do.  Well,  well — everything  is  in  the  hands  of  Provi 
dence;  this  affair  as  well  as  another;  I'll  trust  to  that  for 
getting  my  desarts  in  all  things. ' ' 

Having  thus  betrayed  what  might  be  termed  his  weak 
spot,  the  young  man  continued  to  paddle  in  silence,  mak 
ing  his  way  diligently,  and  as  fast  as  his  tows  would  allow 
him,  towards  the  castle.  By  this  time  the  sun  had  not 
only  risen,  but  it  had  appeared  over  the  eastern  moun 
tains,  and  was  shedding  a  flood  of  glorious  light  on  this 
as  yet  unchristened  sheet  of  water.  The  whole  scene  was 
radiant  with  beauty;  and  no  one  unaccustomed  to  the 
ordinary  history  of  the  woods  would  fancy  it  had  so  lately 
witnessed  incidents  so  ruthless  and  barbarous.  As  he 
approached  the  building  of  old  Hutter,  Deerslayer  thought 
or  rather  felt,  that  its  appearance  was  in  singular  har 
mony  with  all  the  rest  of  the  scene.  Although  nothing 
had  been  consulted  but  strength  and  security,  the  rude, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  119 

massive  logs,  covered  with  their  rough  bark,  the  project 
ing  roof,  and  the  form,  would  contribute  to  render  the 
building  picturesque  in  almost  any  situation,  while  its 
actual  position  added  novelty  and  piquancy  to  its  other 
points  of  interest. 

When  Deerslayer  drew  nearer  to  the  castle,  however, 
objects  of  interest  presented  themselves  that  at  once 
eclipsed  any  beauties  that  might  have  distinguished  the 
scenery  of  the  lake,  and  the  site  of  the  singular  edifice. 
Judith  and  Hetty  stood  on  the  platform  before  the  door, 
Hurry's  dooryard,  awaiting  his  approach  with  manifest 
anxiety;  the  former,  from  time  to  time,  taking  a  survey 
of  his  person  and  of  the  canoes  through  the  old  ship's 
spy-glass  that  has  been  already  mentioned.  Never  prob 
ably  did  this  girl  seem  more  brilliantly  beautiful  than  at 
that  moment;  the  flush  of  anxiety  and  alarm  increasing 
her  color  to  its  richest  tints,  while  the  softness  of  her 
eyes,  a  charm  that  even  poor  Hetty  shared  with  her,  was 
deepened  by  intense  concern.  Such,  at  least,  without 
pausing  or  pretending  to  analyze  motives,  or  to  draw  any 
other  very  nice  distinctions  between  cause  and  effect, 
were  the  opinions  of  the  young  man,  as  his  canoes  reached 
the  side  of  the  ark,  where  he  carefully  fastened  all  three 
before  he  put  his  foot  on  the  platform. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

"  His  words  are  bonds,  his  oaths  are  oracles  ; 
His  love  sincere,  his  thoughts  immaculate; 
His  tears  pure  messengers  sent  from  his  heart ; 
His  heart  as  far  from  fraud  as  heaven  from  earth.  " 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

NEITHER  of  the  girls  spoke  as  Deerslayer  stood  before 
them  alone,  his  countenance  betraying  all  the  apprehension 
he  felt  on  account  of  two  absent  members  of  their  party. 

"Father!"  Judith  at  length  exclaimed,  succeeding  in 
uttering  the  word,  as  it  might  be  by  a  desperate  effort. 

"He's  met  with  misfortune,  and  there's  no  use  in  con 
cealing  it,"  answered  Deerslayer,  in  his  direct  and  simple 
minded  manner.  "He  and  Hurry  are  in  Mingo  hands, and 
Heaven  only  knows  what's  to  be  the  tarmination.  I've 
got  the  canoes  safe,  and  that's  a  consolation,  since  the 
vagabonds  will  have  to  swim  for  it,  or  raft  off,  to  come 
near  this  place.  At  sunset  we'll  be  reinforced  by  Chin- 
gachgook,  if  I  can  manage  to  get  him  into  a  canoe;  and 
then,  I  think,  we  two  can  answer  for  the  ark  and  the 
castle,  till  some  of  the  officers  in  the  garrisons  hear  of 
this  war-path,  which  sooner  or  later  must  be  the  case, 
when  we  may  look  for  succor  from  that  quarter,  if  from 
no  other." 

"The  officers!"  exclaimed  Judith,  impatiently,  her 
color  deepening,  and  her  eye  expressing  a  lively  but  pass 
ing  emotion.  "Who  thinks  or  speaks  of  the  heartless 
gallants  now?  We  are  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  defend 
the  castle.  But  what  of  my  father,  and  of  poor  Hurry 
Harry?" 

"  'Tis  natural  you  should  feel  this  consarn  for  your  own 
parent,  Judith,  and  I  suppose  it's  equally  so  that  you 
should  feel  it  for  Hurry  Harry,  too." 

Deerslayer  then  commenced  a  succinct  but  clear  narra 
tive  of  all  that  occurred  during  the  night,  in  no  manner 

120 


THE   DEERSLAYER  121 

concealing  what  had  befallen  his  two  companions,  or  his 
own  opinion  of  what  might  prove  to  be  the  consequences. 
The  girls  listened  with  profound  attention,  but  neither 
betrayed  that  feminine  apprehension  and  concern  which 
would  have  followed  such  a  communication  when  made  to 
those  who  were  less  accustomed  to  the  hazards  and  acci 
dents  of  a  frontier  life.  To  the  surprise  of  Deerslayer, 
Judith  seemed  the  most  distressed,  Hetty  listening  eagerly 
but  appearing  to  brood  over  the  facts  in  melancholy 
silence,  rather  than  betraying  any  outward  signs  of  feel 
ing.  The  former's  agitation,  the  young  man  did  not  fail 
to  attribute  to  the  interest  she  felt  in  Hurry,  quite  as 
much  as  to  her  filial  love,  while  Hetty's  apparent  indiffer 
ence  was  ascribed  to  that  mental  darkness  which,  in  a 
measure,  obscured  her  intellect,  and  which  possibly  pre 
vented  her  from  foreseeing  all  the  consequences.  Little 
was  said,  however,  by  either,  Judith  and  her  sister  busying 
themselves  in  making  the  preparations  for  the  morning; 
meal,  as  they  who  habitually  attend  to  such  matters  toil 
on  mechanically  even  in  the  midst  of  suffering  and  sorrow. 
The  plain  but  nutritious  breakfast  was  taken  by  all  three 
in  somber  silence.  The  girls  ate  little,  but  Deerslayer 
gave  proof  of  possessing  one  material  requisite  of  a  good 
soldier,  that  of  preserving  his  appetite  in  the  midst  of  the 
most  alarming  and  embarrassing  circumstances.  The  meal 
was  nearly  ended  before  a  syllable  was  uttered;  then, 
however,  Judith  spoke  in  the  convulsive  and  hurried 
manner  in  which  feeling  breaks  through  restraint,  after 
the  latter  has  become  more  painful  than  even  the  betrayal 
of  emotion. 

''Father  would  have  relished  this  fish!"  she  exclaimed; 
"ir.2  says  the  salmon  of  the  lakes  is  almost  as  good  as  the 
salmon  of  the  sea. ' ' 

"Your  father  has  been  acquainted  with  the  sea,  they 
tell  me,  Judith, ' '  returned  the  young  man,  who  could  not 
forbear  throwing  a  glance  of  inquiry  at  the  girl;  for,  in 
common  with  all  who  knew  Hutter,  he  had  some  curiosity 
on  the  subject  of  his  early  history.  "Hurry  Harry  tells 
me  he  was  once  a  sailor." 

Judith  first  looked  perplexed;  then,  influenced  by  feel 
ings  that  were  novel  to  her,  in  more  ways  than  one,  she 


122  THE   DEERSLAYER 

became  suddenly  communicative,  and  seemingly  much 
interested  in  the  discourse. 

"If  Hurry  knows  anything  of  father's  history,  I  would 
he  had  told  it  to  me!"  she  cried.  "Sometimes  I  think, 
too,  he  was  once  a  sailor,  and  then  again  I  think  he  was 
not.  If  that  chest  were  open,  or  if  it  could  speak,  it 
might  let  us  into  his  whole  history.  But  its  fastenings 
are  too  strong  to  be  broken  like  pack-thread." 

Deerslayer  turned  to  the  chest  in  question,  and  for  the 
first  time  examined  it  closely.  Although  discolored,  and 
bearing  proofs  of  having  received  much  ill-treatment,  he 
saw  that  it  was  of  materials  and  workmanship  altogether 
superior  to  anything  of  the  same  sort  he  had  ever  before 
beheld.  The  wood  was  dark,  rich,  and  had  once  been 
highly  polished,  though  the  treatment  it  had  received  left 
little  gloss  on  its  surface,  and  various  scratches  and  inden 
tations  proved  the  rough  collisions  that  it  had  encountered 
with  substances  still  harder  than  itself.  The  corners 
were  firmly  bound  with  steel,  elaborately  and  richly 
wrought,  while  the  locks,  of  which  it  had  no  less  than 
three,  and  the  hinges,  were  of  a  fashion  and  workmanship 
that  would  have  attracted  attention  even  in  a  warehouse 
of  curious  furniture.  This  chest  was  quite  large;  and 
when  Deerslayer  arose,  and  endeavored  to  raise  an  end  by 
its  massive  handle,  he  found  that  the  weight  fully  corres 
ponded  with  the  external  appearance. 

"Did  you  never  see  that  chest  opened,  Judith?"  the 
young  man  demanded  with  frontier  freedom,  for  delicacy 
on  such  subjects  was  little  felt  among  the  people  on  the 
verge  of  civilization,  in  that  age,  even  if  it  be  to-day. 

"Never.  Father  has  never  opened  it  in  my  presence, 
if  he  ever  opens  it  at  all.  No  one  here  has  ever  seen  its 
lid  raised,  unless  it  be  father;  nor  do  I  even  know  that  he 
has  ever  seen  it." 

"Now,  you're  wrong,  Judith,"  Hetty  quietly  answered. 
"Father  has  raised  the  lid,  and  I've  seen  him  do  it." 

A  feeling  of  manliness  kept  the  mouth  of  Deerslayer 
shut;  for,  while  he  would  not  have  hesitated  about  going 
far  beyond  what  would  be  thought  the  bounds  of  propri 
ety,  in  questioning  the  elder  sister,  he  had  just  scruples 
about  taking  what  might  be  thought  an  advantage  of  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  123, 

feeble  intellect  of  the  younger.  Judith,  being  under  no 
such  restraint,  however,  turned  quickly  to  the  last  speaker 
and  continued  the  discourse. 

"When  and  where  did  you  ever  see  that  chest  opened 
Hetty?" 

"Here,  and  again  and  again.  Father  often  opens  it 
when  you  are  away,  though  he  don't  in  the  least  mind  my 
being  by,  and  seeing  all  he  does,  as  well  as  hearing  all  he 
says. ' ' 

"And  what  is  it  that  he  does,  and  what  does  he  say?" 

"That  I  cannot  tell  you,  Judith,"  returned  the  other  in 
a  low  but  resolute  voice.  "Father's  secrets  are  not  my 
secrets. ' ' 

"Secrets!  This  is  stranger  still,  Deerslayer,  that  father 
should  tell  them  to  Hetty,  and  not  tell  them  to  me!" 

"There's  good  reason  for  that,  Judith,  though  you're 
not  to  know  it.  Father's  not  here  to  answer  for  himself, 
and  I'll  say  no  more  about  it." 

Judith  and  Deerslayer  looked  surprised,  and  for  a  min 
ute  the  first  seemed  pained.  But,  suddenly  recollecting 
herself,  she  turned  away  from  her  sister,  as  if  in  pity  for 
her  weakness,  and  addressed  the  young  man. 

"You've  told  but  half  your  story, "  she  said,  "breaking 
off  at  the  place  where  you  went  to  sleep  in  the  canoe — or 
rather  where  you  rose  to  listen  to  the  cry  of  the  loon. 
We  heard  the  call  of  the  loons,  too,  and  thought  their 
cries  might  bring  a  storm,  though  we  are  little  used  to 
tempests  on  this  lake  at  this  season  of  the  year. ' ' 

"The  winds  blow  and  the  tempests  howl  as  God  pleases; 
sometimes  at  one  season,  and  sometimes  at  another," 
answered  Deerslayer;  "and  the  loons  speak  accordin'  to 
their  natur'.  Better  would  it  be  if  men  were  as  honest 
and  frank.  After  I  rose  to  listen  to  the  birds,  finding  it 
could  not  be  Hurry's  signal,  I  lay  down  and  slept.  When 
the  day  dawned  I  was  up  and  stirring,  as  usual,  and  then 
I  went  in  chase  of  the  two  canoes,  lest  the  Mingoes  should 
lay  hands  on  'em." 

"You  have  not  told  us  all,  Deerslayer,"  said  Judith 
earnestly.  "We  heard  rifles  under  the  eastern  mountain; 
the  echoes  were  full  and  long,  and  came  so  soon  after  the 
reports,  that  the  pieces  must  have  been  fired  on  or  quite 


124  THE   DEERSLAYER 

near  to  the  shore.  Our  ears  are  used  to  these  signs,  and 
are  not  to  be  deceived." 

"They've  done  their  duty,  gal,  this  time;  yes,  they've 
done  their  duty.  Rifles  have  been  sighted  this  morning, 
ay,  and  triggers  pulled,  too,  though  not  as  often  as  they 
might  have  been.  One  warrior  has  gone  to  his  happy 
hunting-grounds,  and  that's  the  whole  of  it.  A  man  of 
white  blood  and  white  gifts  is  not  to  be  expected  to  boast 
of  his  expl'ites,  and  to  flourish  scalps." 

Judith  listened  almost  breathlessly;  and  when  Deer- 
slayer,  in  his  quiet,  modest  manner,  seemed  disposed  to 
quit  the  subject,  she  rose,  and  crossing  the  room,  took  a 
seat  by  his  side.  The  manner  of  the  girl  had  nothing 
forward  about  it,  though  it  betrayed  the  quick  instinct  of 
a  female's  affection,  and  the  sympathizing  kindness  of  a 
woman's  heart.  She  even  took  the  hard  hand  of  the 
hunter,  and  pressed  it  in  both  her  own,  unconsciously  to 
herself,  perhaps,  while  she  looked  earnestly  and  even 
reproachfully  into  his  sunburned  face. 

"You  have  been  fighting  the  savages,  Deerslayer,  singly 
and  by  yourself!"  she  said.  "In  your  wish  to  take  care 
of  us — of  Hetty — of  me,  perhaps,  you've  fought  the 
enemy  bravely,  with  no  eye  to  encourage  your  deeds,  or 
to  witness  your  fall,  had  it  pleased  Providence  to  suffer 
so  great  a  calamity!" 

"I've  fou't,  Judith;  yes,  I  have  fou't  the  inimy,  and 
that,  too,  for  the  first  time  in  my  life.  These  things  must 
be,  and  they  bring  with  'em  a  mixed  feelin'  of  sorrow 
and  triumph.  Human  natur'  is  a  fightin'  natur',  I  sup 
pose,  as  all  nations  kill  in  battle,  and  we  must  be  true  to 
our  rights  and  gifts.  What  has  yet  been  done  is  no  great 
matter,  but  should  Chingachgook  come  to  the  rock  this 
evening,  as  is  agreed  atween  us,  and  I  get  him  off  it 
onbeknown  to  the  savages,  or,  if  known  to  them,  ag'in 
their  wishes  and  designs,  then  may  we  all  look  to  some 
thing  like  warfare,  afore  the  Mingoes  shall  get  possession 
of  either  the  castle,  or  the  ark,  or  yourselves." 

"Who  is  this  Chingachgook;  from  what  place  does  he 
come,  and  why  does  he  come  here?" 

"The  questions  are  nat'ral  and  right,  I  suppose,  though 
the  youth  has  a  great  name  already,  in  his  own  part  of 


THE   DEERSLAYER  125 

the  country.  Chingachgook  is  a  Mohican  by  blood,  con 
sorting  with  the  Delawares  by  usage,  as  is  the  case  with 
most  of  his  tribe,  which  has  long  been  broken  up  by  the 
increase  of  our  color.  He  is  of  the  family  of  the  great 
chiefs,  Uncas,  his  father,  having  been  the  considerablest 
warrior  and  counselor  of  his  people.  Even  old  Tamenund 
honors  Chingachgook,  though  he  is  thought  to  be  yet  too 
young  to  lead  in  war;  and  then  the  nation  is  so  disparsed 
and  diminished,  that  chieftainship  among  'em  has  got  to 
be  little  more  than  a  name.  Well,  this  war  having  com 
menced  in  arnest,  the  Delaware  and  I  rendezvous'd  an 
app'intment,  to  meet  this  evening  at  sunset  on  the  ren 
dezvous-rock  at  the  foot  of  this  very  lake,  intending  to 
come  out  on  our  first  hostile  expedition  ag'in  the  Min- 
goes.  Why  we  come  exactly  this-a-way  is  our  own  secret; 
but  thoughtful  young  men  on  a  war-path,  as  you  may 
suppose,  do  nothing  without  a  calculation  and  a  design. ' " 

"A  Delaware  can  have  no  unfriendly  intentions  towards 
us,"  said  Judith,  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  "and  we 
know  you  to  be  friendly." 

"Treachery  is  the  last  crime  I  hope  to  be  accused  of," 
returned  Deerslayer,  hurt  at  the  gleam  of  distrust  that 
had  shot  through  Judith's  mind;  "and  least  of  all, 
treachery  to  my  own  color. ' ' 

"No  one  suspects  you,  Deerslayer,  "the  girl  impetuously 
cried.  "No — no — your  honest  countenance  would  be  a 
sufficient  surety  for  the  truth  of  a  thousand  hearts!  If 
all  men  had  as  honest  tongues,  and  no  more  promised 
what  they  did  not  mean  to  perform,  there  would  be  less 
wrong  done  in  the  world,  and  fine  feathers  and  scarlet 
cloaks  would  not  be  thought  excuses  for  baseness  and 
deception." 

The  girl  spoke  with  strong,  nay,  even  with  convulsed 
feeling,  and  her  fine  eyes,  usually  so  soft  and  alluring, 
flashed  fire  as  she  concluded.  Deerslayer  could  not  but 
observe  this  extraordinary  emotion;  but  with  the  tact  of 
a  courtier,  he  avoided  not  only  any  allusion  to  the  cir 
cumstance,  but  succeeded  in  concealing  the  effect  of  his 
discovery  on  himself.  Judith  gradually  grew  calm  again, 
and  as  she  was  obviously  anxious  to  appear  to  advantage 
in  the  eyes  of  the  young  man,  she  was  soon  able  to  renew 


126  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  conversation  as  composedly  as  if  nothing  had  occurred 
to  disturb  her. 

"I  have  no  right  to  look  into  your  secrets,  or  the 
secrets  of  your  friend,  Deerslayer, "  she  continued,  "and 
am  ready  to  take  all  you  say  on  trust.  If  we  can  really 
get  another  male  ally  to  join  us  at  this  trying  moment,  it 
will  aid  us  much;  and  I  am  not  without  hope  that  when 
the  savages  find  we  are  able  to  keep  the  lake,  they  will 
offer  to  give  up  their  prisoners  in  exchange  for  skins,  or 
at  least  for  the  keg  of  powder  that  we  have  in  the  house. ' ' 

The  young  man  had  the  words  ' 'scalps, ' '  and  "bounty, ' ' 
on  his  lips,  but  a  reluctance  to  alarm  the  feelings  of  the 
daughters  prevented  him  from  making  the  allusion  he  had 
intended  to  the  probable  fate  of  their  father.  Still,  so 
little  was  he  practised  in  the  arts  of  deception,  that  his 
expressive  countenance  was,  of  itself,  understood  by  the 
quick-witted  Judith,  whose  intelligence  had  been  sharp 
ened  by  the  risks  and  habits  of  her  life. 

"I  understand  what  you  mean,"  she  continued,  hur 
riedly,  "and  what  you  would  say,  but  for  the  fear  of 
hurting  me — us,  I  mean;  for  Hetty  loves  her  father  quite 
as  well  as  I  do.  But  this  is  not  as  we  think  of  Indians. 
They  never  scalp  an  unhurt  prisoner,  but  would  rather 
take  him  away  alive,  unless,  indeed,  the  fierce  wish  for 
torturing  should  get  the  mastery  of  them.  I  fear  nothing 
for  my  father's  scalp,  and  little  for  his  life.  Could  they 
steal  on  us  in  the  night,  we  should  all  probably  suffer  in 
this  way;  but  men  taken  in  open  strife  are  seldom  in 
jured;  not,  at  least,  until  the  time  of  torture  comes." 

"That's  tradition,  I'll  allow,  and  it's  accordin'  to  prac 
tise — but,  Judith,  do  you  know  the  arr'nd  on  which  your 
father  and  Hurry  went  ag'in  the  savages?" 

"I  do;  and  a  cruel  errand  it  was!  But  what  will  you 
have?  Men  will  be  men,  and  some  even  that  flaunt  in 
their  gold  and  silver,  and  carry  the  king's  commission  in 
their  pockets,  are  not  guiltless  of  equal  cruelty. "  Judith's 
eye  again  flashed,  but  by  a  desperate  struggle  she  resumed 
her  composure.  "I  get  warm  when  I  think  of  all  the 
wrong  that  men  do,"  she  added,  affecting  to  smile,  an 
effort  in  which  she  only  succeeded  indifferently  well. 
"All  this  is  silly.  What  is  done,  is  done,  and  it  cannot 


THE   DEERSLAYER  127 

be  mended  by  complaints.  But  the  Indians  think  so  little 
of  the  shedding  of  blood,  and  value  men  so  much  for  the 
boldness  of  their  undertakings,  that,  did  they  know  the 
business  on  which  their  prisoners  came,  they  would  be 
more  likely  to  honor  than  to  injure  them  for  it. ' ' 

"For  a  time,  Judith;  yes,  I  allow  that,  for  a  time. 
But  when  that  feelin'  dies  away,  then  will  come  the  love 
of  revenge.  We  must  indivor — Chingachgook  and  I — we 
must  indivor  to  see  what  we  can  do  to  get  Hurry  and  your 
father  free;  for  the  Mingoes  will  no  doubt  hover  about 
this  lake  some  days,  in  order  to  make  the  most  of  their 
success. ' ' 

"You  think  this  Delaware  can  be  depended  on,  Deer- 
slayer?"  demanded  the  girl,  thoughtfully. 

"As  much  as  I  can  myself.  You  say  you  do  not  suspect 
me,  Judith?" 

"You!"  taking  his  hand  again,  and  pressing  it  between 
her  own,  with  a  warmth  that  might  have  awakened  the 
vanity  of  one  less  simple-minded,  and  more  disposed  to 
dwell  on  his  own  good  qualities,  "I  would  as  soon  suspect 
a  brother!  I  have  known  you  but  a  day,  Deerslayer,  but 
it  has  awakened  the  confidence  of  a  year.  Your  name, 
however,  is  not  unknown  to  me;  for  the  gallants  of  the 
garrisons  frequently  speak  of  the  lessons  you  have  given 
them  in  hunting,  and  all  proclaim  your  honesty." 

"Do  they  ever  talk  of  the  shooting,  gal?"  inquired  the 
other  eagerly,  after,  however,  laughing  in  a  silent  but 
heartfelt  manner.  "Do  they  ever  talk  of  the  shooting? 
I  want  to  hear  nothing  about  my  own,  for  if  that  isn't 
sartified  to  by  this  time,  in  all  these  parts,  there's  little 
use  in  being  skilful  and  sure;  but  what  do  the  officers  say 
of  their  own — yes,  what  do  they  say  of  their  own?  Arms, 
as  they  call  it,  is  their  trade,  and  yet  there's  some  among 
'em  that  know  very  little  how  to  use  'em!" 

"Such  I  hope  will  not  be  the  case  with  your  friend 
Chingachgook,  as  you  call  him — what  is  the  English  of 
his  Indian  name?" 

"Big  Sarpent — so  called  for  his  wisdom  and  cunning. 
Uncas  is  his  ra'al  name — all  his  family  being  called 
Uncas,  until  they  get  a  title  that  has  been  'arned  by 
deeds." 


128  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"If  he  has  all  this  wisdom,  we  may  expect  a  useful 
friend  in  him,  unless  his  own  business  in  this  part  of  the 
country  should  prevent  him  from  serving  us." 

"I  see  no  great  harm  in  telling  you  his  arr'nd,  a'ter 
all,  and,  as  you  may  find  means  to  help  us,  I  will  let  you 
and  Hetty  into  the  whole  matter,  trusting  that  you'll  keep 
the  secret  as  if  it  was  your  own.  You  must  know  that 
Chingachgook  is  a  comely  Injin,  and  is  much  looked  upon 
and  admired  by  the  young  women  of  his  tribe,  both  on 
account  of  his  family,  and  on  account  of  himself.  Now, 
there  is  a  chief  that  has  a  daughter  called  Wah-ta-Wah, 
which  is  intarpreted  into  Hist-oh-Hist,  in  the  English 
tongue,  the  rarest  gal  among  the  Delawares,  and  the  one 
most  sought  a'ter  and  craved  for  a  wife  by  all  the  young 
warriors  of  the  nation.  Well  Chingachgook,  among 
others,  took  a  fancy  to  Wah  ta-Wah,  and  Wah-ta-Wah 
took  a  fancy  to  him. ' '  Here  Deerslayer  paused  an  instant; 
for,  as  he  got  thus  far  in  his  tale,  Hetty  arose,  ap 
proached,  and  stood  attentive  at  his  knee,  as  a  child 
draws  near  to  listen  to  the  legends  of  its  mother.  "Yes, 
he  fancied  her,  and  she  fancied  him,"  resumed  Deerslayer 
casting  a  friendly  and  approving  glance  at  the  innocent 
and  interested  girl;  "and  when  that  is  the  case,  and  all 
the  elders  are  agreed,  it  does  not  often  happen  that  the 
young  couple  keep  apart.  Chingachgook  couldn't  well 
carry  off  such  a  prize  without  making  inimies  among 
them  that  wanted  her  as  much  as  he  did  himself.  A  sar- 
tain  Briarthorn,  as  we  call  him  in  English,  or  Yocommon, 
as  he  is  tarmed  in  Injin,  took  it  most  to  heart,  and  we 
mistrust  him  of  having  a  hand  in  all  that  followed.  Wah- 
ta-Wah  went  with  her  father  and  mother,  two  moons 
ago,  to  fish  for  salmon  on  the  western  streams,  where  it 
is  agreed  by  all  in  these  parts  that  fish  most  abounds,  and 
while  thus  erapl'yed  the  gal  vanished.  For  several  weeks 
we  could  get  no  tidings  of  her;  but  here,  ten  days  since, 
a  runner,  that  came  through  the  Delaware  country, 
brought  us  a  message,  by  which  we  1'arn  that  Wah-ta- 
Wah  was  stolen  from  her  people — we  think,  but  do  not 
know  it,  by  Briarthorn's  sarcumventions — and  that  she 
was  now  wTith  the  inimy,  who  had  adopted  her,  and  wanted 
her  to  marry  a  young  Mingo.  The  message  said  that  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  129 

party  intended  to  hunt  and  forage  through  this  region  for 
a  month  or  two,  afore  it  went  back  into  the  Canadas,  and 
that  if  we  could  contrive  to  get  on  a  scent  in  this  quarter, 
something  might  turn  up  that  would  lead  to  our  getting 
the  maiden  off." 

"And  how  does  that  concern  you,  Deerslayer?"  de 
manded  Judith,  a  little  anxiously. 

"It  consarns  me,  as  all  things  that  touches  a  fri'nd 
consarns  a  fri'nd.  I'm  here  as  Chingachgook's  aid  and 
helper,  and  if  we  can  get  the  young  maiden  he  likes  back 
ag'in,  it  will  give  me  almost  as  much  pleasure  as  if  I  had 
got  back  my  own  sweetheart. ' ' 

"And  where,  then,  is  your  sweetheart,  Deerslayer?" 

"She's  in  the  forest,  Judith — hanging  from  the  boughs 
of  the  trees,  in  a  soft  rain — in  the  dew  on  the  open  grass 
—the  clouds  that  float  about  in  the  blue  heavens — the 
birds  that  sing  in  the  woods — the  sweet  springs  where  I 
slake  my  thirst — and  in  all  the  other  glorious  gifts  that 
come  from  God's  Providence!" 

"You  mean  that,  as  yet,  you've  never  loved  one  of  my 
sex,  but  love  best  your  haunts,  and  your  own  manner  of 
life." 

"That's  it — that's  just  it.  I  am  white — have  a  white 
heart,  and  can't,  in  reason,  love  a  red -skinned  maiden, 
who  must  have  a  red-skin  heart  and  feelin's.  No,  no,  I'm 
sound  enough  in  them  partic'lars,  and  hope  to  remain  so, 
at  least  till  this  war  is  over.  I  find  my  time  too  much 
taken  up  with  Chingachgook's  affair,  to  wish  to  have  one 
of  my  own  on  my  hands  afore  that  is  settled." 

"The  girl  that  finally  wins  you,  Deerslayer,  will  at 
least  win  an  honest  heart — one  without  treachery  or  guile; 
and  that  will  be  a  victory  that  most  of  her  sex  ought  to 
envy. ' ' 

As  Judith  uttered  this,  her  beautiful  face  had  a  resent 
ful  frown  on  it;  while  a  bitter  smile  lingered  around  a 
mouth  that  no  derangement  of  the  muscles  could  render 
anything  but  handsome.  Her  companion  observed  the 
change,  and  though  little  skilled  in  the  workings  of  the 
female  heart,  he  had  sufficient  native  delicacy  to  under 
stand  that  it  might  be  well  to  drop  the  subject. 

As  the  hour  when  Chingachgook  was  expected  still  re- 
9 


130  THE   DEERSLAYER 

mained  distant,  Deerslayer  had  time  enough  to  examine 
into  the  state  of  the  defenses,  and  to  make  such  additional 
arrangements  as  were  in  his  power,  and  the  exigency  of 
the  moment  seemed  to  require.  The  experience  and  fore 
sight  of  Hutter  had  left  little  to  be  done  in  these  particu 
lars;  still,  several  precautions  suggested  themselves  to 
the  young  man,  who  may  be  said  to  have  studied  the  art 
of  frontier  warfare,  through  the  traditions  and  legends  of 
the  people  among  whom  he  had  so  long  lived.  The  dis 
tance  between  the  castle  and  the  nearest  point  on  the 
shore,  prevented  any  apprehension  on  the  subject  of  rifle- 
bullets  thrown  from  the  land.  The  house  was  within  a 
musket-shot,  in  one  sense,  it  was  true,  but  aim  was  en 
tirely  out  of  the  question,  and  even  Judith  professed  a 
perfect  disregard  of  any  danger  from  that  source.  So 
long,  then,  as  the  party  remained  in  possession  of  the 
fortress,  they  were  safe,  unless  their  assailants  could  find 
the  means  to  come  off  and  carry  it  by  fire  or  storm,  or  by 
some  of  the  devices  of  Indian  cunning  and  Indian  treach 
ery.  Against  the  first  source  of  danger  Hutter  had  made 
ample  provision,  and  the  building  itself,  the  bark  roof 
excepted,  was  not  very  combustible.  The  floor  was  scut 
tled  in  several  places,  and  buckets  provided  with  ropes 
were  in  daily  use,  in  readiness  for  any  such  emergency. 
One  of  the  girls  could  easily  extinguish  any  fire  that 
might  be  lighted,  provided  it  had  not  time  to  make  much 
headway.  Judith,  who  appeared  to  understand  all  her 
father's  schemes  of  defense,  and  who  had  the  spirit  to 
take  no  unimportant  share  in  the  execution  of  them, 
explained  all  these  details  to  the  young  man,  who  was 
thus  saved  much  time  and  labor  in  making  his  investi 
gations. 

Little  was  to  be  apprehended  during  the  day.  In  pos 
session  of  the  canoes  and  of  the  ark,  no  other  vessel  was 
to  be  found  on  the  lake.  Nevertheless,  Deerslayer  well 
knew  that  a  raft  was  soon  made,  and,  as  dead  trees  were 
to  be  found  in  abundance  near  the  water,  did  the  savages 
seriously  contemplate  the  risks  of  an  assault,  it  would  not 
be  a  very  difficult  matter  to  find  the  necessary  means. 
The  celebrated  American  ax,  a  tool  that  is  quite  unriv 
aled  in  its  way,  was  then  not  very  extensively  known,  and 


THE   DEERSLAYER  131 

the  savages  were  far  from  expert  in  the  use  of  its  hatchet- 
like  substitute;  still,  they  had  sufficient  practise  in  cross 
ing  streams  by  this  mode  to  render  it  certain  they  would 
construct  a  raft,  should  they  deem  it  expedient  to  expose 
themselves  to  the  risks  of  an  assault.  The  death  of  their 
warrior  might  prove  a  sufficient  incentive,  or  it  might 
act  as  a  caution;  but  Deerslayer  thought  it  more  than 
possible  that  the  succeeding  night  would  bring  matters  to 
a  crisis,  and  in  this  precise  way.  This  impression  caused 
him  to  wish  ardently  for  the  presence  and  succor  of  his 
Mohican  friend,  and  to  look  forward  to  the  approach  of 
sunset  with  an  increasing  anxiety. 

As  the  day  advanced,  the  party  in  the  castle  matured 
their  plans,  and  made  their  preparations.  Judith  was 
active,  and  seemed  to  find  a  pleasure  in  consulting  and 
advising  with  her  new  acquaintance,  whose  indifference 
to  danger,  manly  devotion  to  herself  and  sister,  guile- 
lessness  of  manner,  and  truth  of  feeling,  had  won  rapidly 
on  both  her  imagination  and  her  affections.  Although 
the  hours  appeared  long  in  some  respects  to  Deerslayer, 
Judith  did  not  find  them  so,  and  when  the  sun  began  to 
descend  towards  the  pine-clad  summits  of  the  western 
hills,  she  felt  and  expressed  her  surprise  that  the  day 
should  so  soon  be  drawing  to  a  close.  On  the  other  hand, 
Hetty  was  moody  and  silent.  She  was  never  loquacious, 
or  if  she  occasionally  became  communicative,  it  was  under 
the  influence  of  some  temporary  excitement  that  served  to 
arouse  her  unsophisticated  mind;  but,  for  hours  at  a  time, 
in  the  course  of  this  all-important  day,  she  seemed  to 
have  absolutely  lost  the  use  of  her  tongue.  Nor  did  ap 
prehension  on  account  of  her  father  materially  affect  the 
manner  of  either  sister.  Neither  appeared  seriously  to 
dread  any  evil  greater  than  captivity,  and  once  or  twice, 
when  Hetty  did  speak,  she  intimated  the  expectation  that 
Hutter  would  find  the  means  to  liberate  himself.  Although 
Judith  was  less  sanguine  on  this  head,  she  too  betrayed 
the  hope  that  propositions  for  a  ransom  would  come, 
when  the  Indians  discovered  that  the  castle  set  their 
expedients  and  artifices  at  defiance.  Deerslayer,  how 
ever,  treated  these  passing  suggestions  as  the  ill-digested 
fancies  of  girls,  making  his  own  arrangements  as  steadily, 


132  THE   DEERSLAYER 

and  brooding  over  the  future  as  seriously,  as  if  they  had 
never  fallen  from  their  lips. 

At  length  the  hour  arrived  when  it  became  necessary  to 
proceed  to  the  place  of  rendezvous  appointed  with  the 
Mohican,  or  Delaware,  as  Chingachgook  was  more  com 
monly  called.  As  the  plan  had  been  matured  by  Deer- 
slayer,  and  fully  communicated  to  his  companions,  all 
three  set  about  its  execution,  in  concert,  and  intelli 
gently.  Hetty  passed  into  the  ark,  and  fastening  two  of 
the  canoes  together,  she  entered  one,  and  paddled  up  to 
a  sort  of  gateway  in  the  palisadoes  that  surrounded  the 
building,  through  which  she  carried  both;  securing  them 
beneath  the  house  by  chains  that  were  fastened  within 
the  building.  These  palisadoes  were  trunks  of  trees 
driven  firmly  into  the  mud,  and  served  the  double  purpose 
of  a  small  inclosure  that  was  intended  to  be  used  in  this 
very  manner,  and  to  keep  any  enemy  that  might  approach 
in  boats  at  arm's  length.  Canoes  thus  docked  were,  in  a 
measure,  hid  from  sight,  and  as  the  gate  was  properly 
barred  and  fastened,  it  would  not  be  an  easy  task  to 
remove  them,  even  in  the  event  of  their  being  seen. 
Previously,  however,  to  closing  the  gate,  Judith  also 
entered  within  the  inclosure  with  the  third  canoe,  leaving 
Deerslayer  busy  in  securing  the  doors  and  windows  inside 
the  building,  over  her  head.  As  everything  was  massive 
and  strong,  and  small  saplings  were  used  as  bars,  it  would 
have  been  the  work  of  an  hour  or  two  to  break  into  the 
building,  when  Deerslayer  had  ended  his  task,  even  allow 
ing  the  assailants  the  use  of  any  tools  but  the  ax,  and  to 
be  unresisted.  This  attention  to  security  arose  from 
Hutter's  having  been  robbed  once  or  twice  by  the  lawless 
whites  of  the  frontiers,  during  some  of  his  many  absences 
from  home. 

As  soon  as  all  was  fast  in  the  inside  of  the  dwelling, 
Deerslayer  appeared  at  a  trap,  from  which  he  descended 
into  the  canoe  of  Judith,  When  this  was  done,  he  fas 
tened  the  door  with  a  massive  staple  and  stout  padlock. 
Hetty  was  then  received  in  the  canoe,  which  was  shoved 
outside  of  the  palisadoes.  The  next  precaution  was  to 
fasten  the  gate,  and  the  keys  were  carried  into  the  ark. 
The  three  were  now  fastened  out  of  the  dwelling,  which 


THE   DEERSLAYER  133 

could  only  be  entered  by  violence,  or  by  following  the 
course  taken  by  the  young  man  in  quitting  it. 

The  glass  had  been  brought  outside  as  a  preliminary 
step,  and  Deerslayer  next  took  a  careful  survey  of  the 
entire  shore  of  the  lake,  as  far  as  his  own  position  would 
allow.  Not  a  living  thing  was  visible,  a  few  birds  ex- 
cepted,  and  even  the  last  fluttered  about  in  the  shades  of 
the  trees,  as  if  unwilling  to  encounter  the  heat  of  a  sultry 
afternoon.  All  the  nearest  points,  in  particular,  were 
subjected  to  severe  scrutiny,  in  order  to  make  certain 
that  no  raft  was  in  preparation;  the  result  everywhere 
giving  the  same  picture  of  calm  solitude.  A  few  words 
will  explain  the  greatest  embarrassment  belonging  to  the 
situation  of  our  party.  Exposed  themselves  to  the  ob 
servation  of  any  watchful  eyes,  the  movements  of  their 
enemies  were  concealed  by  the  drapery  of  a  dense  forest. 
While  the  imagination  would  be  very  apt  to  people  the 
latter  with  more  warriors  than  it  really  contained,  their 
own  weakness  must  be  too  apparent  to  all  who  might 
chance  to  cast  a  glance  in  their  direction. 

''Nothing  is  stirring,  hows'ever,"  exclaimed  Deerslayer, 
as  he  finally  lowered  the  glass,  and  prepared  to  enter  the 
ark.  "If  the  vagabonds  do  harbor  mischief  in  their 
minds,  they  are  too  cunning  to  let  it  be  seen;  it's  true,  a 
raft  may  be  in  preparation  in  the  woods,  but  it  has  not 
yet  been  brought  down  to  the  lake.  They  can't  guess 
that  we  are  about  to  quit  the  castle,  and,  if  they  did, 
they've  no  means  of  knowing  where  we  intend  to  go." 

"This  is  so  true  Deerslayer, "  returned  Judith,  "that 
now  all  is  ready,  we  may  proceed  at  once,  boldly,  and 
without  the  fear  of  being  followed;  else  we  shall  be 
behind  our  time." 

"No,  no;  the  matter  needs  management;  for,  though 
the  savages  are  in  the  dark  as  to  Chingachgook  and  the 
rock, they've  eyes  and  legs,  and  will  see  in  what  direction 
we  steer,  and  will  be  sartain  to  follow  us.  I  shall  strive 
to  baffle  'em,  hows'ever,  by  heading  the  scow  in  all  man 
ner  of  ways,  first  in  one  quarter  and  then  in  another, 
until  they  get  to  be  a-legweary,  and  tired  of  tramping 
a'ter  us." 

So  far  as  it  was  in  his  power,  Deerslayer  was  as  good 


134  THE   DEERSLAYER 

as  his  word.  In  less  than  five  minutes  after  this  speech 
was  made,  the  whole  party  was  in  the  ark,  and  in  motion. 
There  was  a  gentle  breeze  from  the  north,  and  boldly 
hoisting  the  sail,  the  young  man  laid  the  head  of  the 
unwieldy  craft  in  such  a  direction,  as,  after  making  a 
liberal  but  necessary  allowance  for  leeway,  would  have 
brought  it  ashore  a  couple  of  miles  down  the  lake,  and  on 
its  eastern  side.  The  sailing  of  the  ark  was  never  very 
swift,  though,  floating  as  it  did  on  the  surface,  it  was  not 
difficult  to  get  it  in  motion,  or  to  urge  it  along  over  the 
water  at  the  rate  of  some  three  or  four  miles  in  the  hour. 
The  distance  between  the  castle  and  the  rock  was  a  little 
more  than  two  leagues.  Knowing  the  punctuality  of  an 
Indian,  Deerslayer  had  made  his  calculations  closely,  and 
had  given  himself  a  little  more  time  than  was  necessary 
to  reach  the  place  of  rendezvous,  with  a  view  to  delay  or 
to  press  his  arrival,  as  might  prove  most  expedient. 
When  he  hoisted  the  sail,  the  sun  lay  above  the  western 
hills,  at  an  elevation  that  promised  rather  more  than  two 
hours  of  day;  and  a  few  minutes  satisfied  him  that  the 
progress  of  the  scow  was  such  as  to  equal  his  expecta 
tions. 

It  was  a  glorious  June  afternoon,  and  never  did  that 
solitary  sheet  of  water  seem  less  like  an  arena  of  strife 
and  bloodshed.  The  light  air  scarce  descended  as  low  as 
the  bed  of  the  lake,  hovering  over  it,  as  if  unwilling  to 
disturb  its  deep  tranquillity,  or  to  ruffle  its  mirror-like 
surface.  Even  the  forests  appeared  to  be  slumbering  in 
the  sun,  and  a  few  piles  of  fleecy  clouds  had  lain  for  hours 
along  the  northern  horizon  like  fixtures  in  the  atmos 
phere,  placed  there  purely  to  embellish  the  scene.  A  few 
aquatic  fowls  occasionally  skimmed  along  the  water,  and 
a  single  raven  was  visible,  sailing  high  above  the  trees, 
and  keeping  a  watchful  eye  on  the  forest  beneath  him,  in 
order  to  detect  anything  having  life  that  the  mysterious 
woods  might  offer  as  prey. 

The  reader  will  probably  have  observed,  that,  amidst 
the  frankness  and  abruptness  of  manner  which  marked 
the  frontier  habits  of  Judith,  her  language  was  superior 
to  that  used  by  her  male  companions,  her  own  father 
included.  This  difference  extended  as  well  to  pronuncia- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  135 

tion  as  to  the  choice  of  words  and  phrases.  Perhaps 
nothing  so  soon  betrays  the  education  and  association  as 
the  modes  of  speech ;  and  few  accomplishments  so  much 
aid  the  charm  of  female  beauty  as  a  graceful  and  even 
utterance,  while  nothing  so  soon  produces  the  disenchant 
ment  that  necessarily  follows  a  discrepancy  between  ap 
pearance  and  manner  as  a  mean  intonation  of  voice,  or  a 
vulgar  use  of  words.  Judith  and  her  sister  were  marked 
exceptions  to  all  the  girls  of  their  class,  along  that  whole 
frontier;  the  officers  of  the  nearest  garrison  having  often 
flattered  the  former  with  the  belief  that  few  ladies  of  the 
towns  acquitted  themselves  better  than  herself,  in  this 
important  particular.  This  was  far  from  being  literally 
true,  but  it  was  sufficiently  near  the  fact  to  give  birth  to 
the  compliment.  The  girls  were  indebted  to  their  mother 
for  this  proficiency,  having  acquired  from  her,  in  child 
hood,  an  advantage  that  no  subsequent  study  or  labor  can 
give  without  a  drawback,  if  neglected  beyond  the  earlier 
periods  of  life.  Who  that  mother  was,  or  rather  had 
been,  no  one  but  Hutter  knew.  She  had  now  been  dead 
two  summers,  and,  as  was  stated  by  Hurry,  she  had  been 
buried  in  the  lake;  whether  in  indulgence  of  a  prejudice, 
or  from  a  reluctance  to  take  the  trouble  to  dig  her  grave, 
had  frequently  been  a  matter  of  discussion  between  the 
rude  beings  of  that  region.  Judith  had  never  visited  the 
spot,  but  Hetty  was  present  at  the  interment,  and  she 
often  paddled  a  canoe,  about  sunset,  or  by  the  light  of 
the  moon,  to  the  place,  and  gazed  down  into  the  limpid 
water  in  the  hope  of  being  able  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  a 
form  that  she  had  so  tenderly  loved  from  infancy  to  the 
sad  hour  of  their  parting. 

"Must  we  reach  the  rock  exactly  at  the  moment  the  sun 
sets?"  Judith  demanded  of  the  young  man,  as  they  stood 
near  each  other,  Deerslayer  holding  the  steering-oar,  and 
she  working  with  a  needle  at  some  ornament  of  dress, 
that  much  exceeded  her  station  in  life,  and  was  altogether 
a  novelty  in  the  woods.  "Will  a  few  minutes,  sooner  or 
later,  alter  the  matter?  it  will  be  very  hazardous  to 
remain  long  as  near  the  shore  as  that  rock. ' ' 

"That's  it,  Judith;  that's  the  very  difficulty!  The 
rock's  within  p'int  blank  for  a  shotgun,  and  t'will  never 


136  THE  DEERSLAYER 

do  to  hover  about  it  too  close  and  too  long.  When  you 
have  to  deal  with  an  Injin,  you  must  calculate  and  man 
age,  for  a  red  natur'  dearly  likes  sarcumvention.  Now 
you  see,  Judith,  that  I  do  not  steer  towards  the  rock  at 
all,  but  here  to  the  eastward  of  it,  whereby  the  savages 
will  be  tramping-  off  in  that  direction,  and  get  their  legs 
awearied,  and  all  for  no  advantage. ' ' 

"You  think,  then,  they  see  us,  and  watch  our  move 
ments,  Deerslayer?  I  was  in  hopes  they  might  have  fallen 
back  into  the  woods,  and  left  us  to  ourselves  for  a  few 
hours." 

"That's  altogether  a  woman's  consait.  There's  no  letup 
in  an  Injin's  watchfulness  when  he's  on  a  warpath,  and 
eyes  are  on  us  at  this  minute,  'though  the  lake  presarves 
us.  We  must  draw  near  the  rock  on  a  calculation,  and 
indivor  to  get  the  miscreants  on  a  false  scent.  The 
Mingoes  have  good  noses,  they  tell  me;  but  a  white 
man's  reason  ought  always  to  equalize  their  instinct." 

Judith  now  entered  into  a  desultory  discourse  with 
Deerslayer,  in  which  the  girl  betrayed  her  growing  inter 
est  in  the  young  man;  an  interest  that  his  simplicity  of 
mind  and  her  decision  of  character,  sustained  as  it  was 
by  the  consciousness  awakened  by  the  consideration  her 
personal  charms  so  universally  produced,  rendered  her 
less  anxious  to  conceal  than  might  otherwise  have  been  the 
case.  She  was  scarcely  forward  in  her  manner,  though 
there  was  sometimes  a  freedom  in  her  glances  that  it  re 
quired  all  the  aid  of  her  exceeding  beauty  to  prevent  from 
awakening  suspicions  unfavorable  to  her  discretion,  if  not 
to  her  morals.  With  Deerslayer,  however,  these  glances 
were  rendered  less  obnoxious  to  so  unpleasant  a  construc 
tion;  for  she  seldom  looked  at  him  without  discovering 
much  of  the  sincerity  and  nature  that  accompany  the 
purest  emotions  of  woman.  It  was  a  little  remarkable 
that,  as  his  captivity  lengthened,  neither  of  the  girls 
manifested  any  great  concern  for  her  father;  but,  as  has 
been  said  already,  their  habits  gave  them  confidence,  and 
they  looked  forward  to  his  liberation,  by  means  of  a 
ransom,  with  a  confidence  that  might,  in  a  great  degree, 
account  for  their  apparent  indifference.  Once  before, 
Hutter  had  been  in  the  hands  of  the  Iroquois,  and  a  few 


THE  DEERSLAYER  137 

skins  had  readily  effected  his  release.  This  event,  how 
ever,  unknown  to  the  sisters,  had  occurred  in  a  time  of 
peace  between  England  and  France,  and  when  the  savages 
were  restrained,  instead  of  being  encouraged  to  commit 

,  their  excesses,   by  the  policy  of  the  different   colonial 

'  governments. 

While  Judith  was  loquacious  and  caressing  in  her  man 
ner,  Hetty  remained  thoughtful  'and  silent.  Once,  in 
deed,  she  drew  near  to  Deerslayer,  and  questioned  him  a 
little  closely  as  to  his  intentions,  as  well  as  concerning 
the  mode  of  effecting  his  purpose;  but  her  wish  to  con 
verse  went  no  further.  As  soon  as  her  simple  queries 
were  answered — and  answered  they  all  were,  in  the  fullest 
and  kindest  manner — she  withdrew  to  her  seat,  and  con 
tinued  to  work  on  a  coarse  garment  that  she  was  making 
for  her  father,  sometimes  humming  a  low  melancholy  air, 
and  frequently  sighing. 

In  this  manner  the  time  passed  away;  and  when  the  sun 
was  beginning  to  glow  behind  the  fringe  of  pines  that 
bounded  the  western  hill,  or  about  twenty  minutes  before 
it  actually  set,  the  ark  was  nearly  as  low  as  the  point 
where  Hutter  and  Hurry  had  been  made  prisoners.  By 
sheering  first  to  one  side  of  the  lake,  and  then  to  the 
other,  Deerslayer  managed  to  create  an  uncertainty  as  to 
his  object;  and,  doubtless,  the  savages,  who  were  unques 
tionably  watching  his  movements,  were  led  to  believe 
that  his  aim  was  to  communicate  with  them,  at  or  near 
this  spot,  and  would  hasten  in  that  direction,  ia  order  to 
be  in  readiness  to  profit  by  circumstances.  This  artifice 
was  well  managed;  since  the  sweep  of  the  bay,  the  curva 
ture  of  the  lake,  and  the  low  marshy  land  that  intervened, 
would  probably  allow  the  ark  to  reach  the  rock  before  its 
pursuers,  if  really  collected  near  the  point,  could  have 
time  to  make  the  circuit  that  would  be  required  to  get 
there  by  land.  With  a  view  to  aid  this  deception,  Deer- 
slayer  stood  as  near  the  western  shore  as  was  at  all 
prudent;  and  then  causing  Judith  and  Hetty  to  enter  the 
house,  or  cabin,  and  crouching  himself  so  as  to  conceal 
his  person  by  the  frame  of  the  scow,  he  suddenly  threw 
the  head  of  the  latter  round  and  began  to  make  the  best 
of  his  way  towards  the  outlet.  Favored  by  an  increase  in 


138  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  wind,  the  progress  of  the  ark  was  such  as  to  promise 
the  complete  success  of  this  plan,  though  the  crab-like 
movement  of  the  craft  compelled  the  helmsman  to  keep 
his  head  looking  in  a  direction  very  different  from  that 
in  which  it  was  actually  moving. 


CHAPTER  IX 

"  Yet  art  thou  prodigal  of  smiles- 
Smiles  sweeter  than  thy  frowns  are  stern 

Earth  sends  from  all  her  thousand  isles 
A  shout  at  thy  return. 

The  g-lory  that  comes  down  from  thee 

Bathes,  in  deep  joy,  the  land  and  sea.  " 

-THE  SKIES. 

IT  may  assist  the  reader  in  understanding  the  events 
we  are  about  to  record,  if  he  has  a  rapidly  sketched  pic 
ture  of  the  scene  placed  before  his  eyes  at  a  single  view. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  the  lake  was  an  irregularly 
shaped  basin,  of  an  outline  that,  in  the  main,  was  oval, 
but  with  bays  and  points  to  relieve  its  formality  and 
ornament  its  shores.  The  surface  of  this  beautiful  sheet 
of  water  was  now  glittering  like  a  gem,  in  the  last  rays 
of  the  evening  sun,  and  the  setting  of  the  whole — hills 
clothed  in  the  richest  forest  verdure — was  lighted  up 
with  a  sort  of  radiant  smile  that  is  best  described  in  the 
beautiful  lines  we  have  placed  at  the  head  of  this  chapter. 
As  the  banks,  with  few  exceptions,  rose  abruptly  from  the 
water,  even  where  the  mountain  did  not  immediately 
bound  the  view,  there  was  a  nearly  unbroken  fringe  of 
leaves  overhanging  the  placid  lake — the  trees  starting  out 
of  the  acclivities,  inclining  to  the  light,  until  in  many 
instances  they  extended  their  long  limbs  and  straight 
trunks  some  forty  or  fifty  feet  beyond  the  line  of  the 
perpendicular.  In  these  cases  we  allude  only  to  the 
giants  of  the  forest — pines  of  a  hundred  or  a  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  in  height — for,  of  the  smaller  growth,  very 
many  inclined  so  far  as  to  steep  their  lower  branches  in 
the  water. 

In  the  position  in  which  the  ark  had  now  got,  the  castle 
was  concealed  from  view  by  the  projection  of  a  point,  as 
indeed  was  the  northern  extremity  of  the  lake  itself.  A 
respectable  mountain,  forest-clad,  and  rounded  like  all  the 
rest,  limited  the  view  in  that  direction,  stretching  im- 

139 


140  THE  DEERSLAYER 

mediately  across  the  whole  of  the  fair  scene,  with  the 
exception  of  a  deep  bay  that  passed  its  western  end, 
lengthening  the  basin  for  more  than  a  mile.  The  manner 
in  which  the  water  flowed  out  of  the  lake,  beneath  the 
leafy  arches  of  the  trees  that  lined  the  sides  of  the  stream 
has  already  been  mentioned,  and  it  has  also  been  said  that 
the  rock,  which  was  a  favorite  place  of  rendezvous 
throughout  all  that  region,  and  where  Deerslayer  now 
expected  to  meet  his  friend,  stood  near  this  outlet,  and  at 
no  great  distance  from  the  shore.  It  was  a  large  isolated 
stone  that  rested  on  the  bottom  of  the  lake,  apparently 
left  there  when  the  waters  tore  away  the  earth  from 
around  it,  in  forcing  for  themselves  a  passage  down  the 
river,  and  which  had  obtained  its  shape  from  the  action 
of  the  elements,  during  the  slow  progress  of  centuries. 
The  height  of  this  rock  could  scarcely  equal  six  feet,  and, 
as  has  been  said,  its  shape  was  not  unlike  that  which  is 
usually  given  to  bee-hives  or  to  a  haycock.  The  latter, 
indeed,  gives  the  best  idea  not  only  of  its  form  but  of  its 
dimensions.  It  stood,  and  still  stands,  for  we  are  writing 
of  real  scenes,  within  fifty  feet  of  the  bank,  and  in  water 
that  was  only  two  feet  in  depth,  though  there  wrere  seasons 
in  which  its  rounded  apex,  if  such  a  term  can  properly  be 
used,  was  covered  by  the  lake.  Many  of  the  trees  stretched 
so  far  forward  as  almost  to  blend  the  rock  with  the  shore, 
when  seen  from  a  little  distance;  and  one  tall  pine  in 
particular  overhung  it  in  a  way  to  form  a  noble  and 
appropriate  canopy  to  a  seat  that  had  held  many  a  forest 
chieftain  during  the  long  succession  of  unknown  ages,  in 
which  America  and  all  it  contained  existed  apart,  in 
mysterious  solitude,  a  world  by  itself;  equally  without  a 
familiar  history,  and  without  an  origin  that  the  annals  of 
man  can  reach. 

When  distant  some  two  or  three  hundred  feet  from  the 
shore,  Deerslayer  took  in  his  sail,  and  he  dropped  his 
grapnel,  as  soon  as  he  found  the  ark  had  drifted  in  a  line 
that  was  directly  to  windward  of  the  rock.  The  motion 
of  the  scow  was  then  checked,  when  it  was  brought  head 
to  wind  by  the  action  of  the  breeze.  As  soon  as  this  was 
done  Deerslayer  "paid  out  line,"  and  suffered  the  vessel 
to  "set  down"  upon  the  rock,  as  fast  as  the  light  air 


THE   DEERSLAYER  141 

would  force  it  to  leeward.  Floating  entirely  on  the  sur 
face,  this  was  soon  effected,  and  the  young  man  checked 
the  dift  when  he  was  told  that  the  stern  of  the  scow  was 
within  fifteen  or  eighteen  feet  of  the  desired  spot. 

In  executing  this  maneuver,  Deerslayer  had  proceeded 
promptly;  for  while  he  did  not  in  the  least  doubt  that  he 
was  both  watched  and  followed  by  the  foe,  believed  he 
had  distracted  their  movements  by  the  apparent  uncer 
tainty  of  his  own,  and  he  knew  they  could  have  no  means 
of  ascertaining  that  the  rock  was  his  aim  unless  indeed 
one  of  the  prisoners  had  betrayed  him;  a  chance  so 
improbable  in  itself  as  to  give  him  no  concern.  Not 
withstanding  the  celerity  and  decision  of  his  movements, 
he  did  not,  however,  venture  so  near  the  shore  without 
taking  due  precautions  to  effect  a  retreat,  in  the  event  of 
its  becoming  necessary.  He  held  the  line  in  his  hand, 
and  Judith  was  stationed  at  a  loop  on  the  side  of  the 
cabin  next  the  shore,  where  she  could  watch  the  beach 
and  the  rocks,  and  give  timely  notice  of  the  approach  of 
either  friend  or  foe.  Hetty  was  also  placed  on  watch,  but 
it  was  to  keep  the  trees  overhead  in  view,  lest  some 
enemy  might  ascend  one,  and,  by  completely  commanding 
the  interior  of  the  scow,  render  the  defenses  of  the  hut 
or  cabin  useless. 

The  sun  had  disappeared  from  the  lake  and  valley  when 
Deerslayer  checked  the  ark  in  the  manner  mentioned. 
Still  it  wanted  a  few  minutes  to  the  true  sunset,  and  he 
knew  Indian  punctuality  too  well  to  anticipate  any  un 
manly  haste  in  his  friend.  The  great  question  was, 
whether,  surrounded  by  enemies  as  he  was  known  to  be, 
he  had  escaped  their  toils.  The  occurrences  of  the  last 
twenty-four  hours  must  be  a  secret  to  him,  and,  like 
himself,  Chingachgook  was  yet  young  on  a  warpath.  It 
was  true,  he  came  prepared  to  encounter  the  party  that 
withheld  his  promised  bride,  but  he  had  no  means  of  as 
certaining  the  extent  of  the  danger  he  ran,  or  the  precise 
positions  occupied  by  either  friends  or  foes.  In  a  word, 
the  trained  sagacity  and  untiring  caution  of  an  Indian 
were  all  he  had  to  rely  on,  amid  the  critical  risks  he 
unavoidably  ran. 

"Is  the  rock  empty,  Judith?"  inquired  Deerslayer,  as 


142  THE   DEERSLAYER 

soon  as  he  had  checked  the  drift  of  the  ark,  deemng  it 
imprudent  to  venture  unnecessarily  near  the  shore.  "Is 
anything  to  be  seen  of  the  Delaware  chief?" 

"Nothing,  Deerslayer.  Neither  rock,  shore,  tree,  nor 
lake  seems  to  have  ever  held  a  human  form." 

"Keep  close,  Judith — keep  close,  Hetty — a  rifle  has  a 
prying  eye,  a  nimble  foot,  and  a  desperate  fatal  tongue. 
Keep  close,  then,  but  keep  up  actyve  looks,  and  be  on  the 
alart.  'Twould  grieve  me  to  the  very  heart  did  any  harm 
befall  either  of  you." 

"And  you,  Deerslayer!"  exclaimed  Judith,  turning  her 
handsome  face  from  the  loop,  to  bestow  a  gracious  and 
grateful  look  on  the  young  man;  "do  you 'keep  close', 
and  have  a  proper  care  that  the  savages  so  not  catch  a 
glimpse  of  you!  A  bullet  might  be  as  fatal  to  you  as  to 
one  of  us;  and  the  blow  that  you  felt  would  be  felt  by 
all." 

"No  fear  of  me,  Judith — no  fear  of  me,  my  good  gal. 
Do  not  look  this-a-way,  although  you  look  so  pleasant  and 
comely,  but  keep  your  eyes  on  the  rock,  and  the  shore, 
and  the— 

Deerslayer  was  interrupted  by  a  slight  exclamation 
from  the  girl,  who,  in  obedience  to  his  hurried  gestures, 
as  much  as  in  obedience  to  his  words,  had  immediately 
bent  her  looks  again  in  the  opposite  direction. 

"What  is't?— what  is't,  Judith?"  he  hastily  demanded. 
"Is  anything  to  be  seen?" 

"There  is  a  man  on  the  rock! — an  Indian  warrior  in 
his  paint,  and  armed!" 

"Where  does  he  wear  his  hawk's  feather?"  eagerly 
added  Deerslayer,  relaxing  his  hold  of  the  line,  in  readi 
ness  to  drift  nearer  the  place  of  rendezvous.  "Is  it  fast 
to  the  war-lock,  or  does  he  carry  it  above  the  left  ear?" 
'  'Tis  as  you  say,  above  the  left  ear;  he  smiles,  too, 
and  mutters  the  word  'Mohican.' ' 

"God  be  praised,  'tis  the  Sarpent  at  last!"  exclaimed 
the  young  man,  suffering  the  line  to  slip  through  his 
hands,  until  hearing  a  light  bound,  in  the  other  end  of 
the  craft,  he  instantly  checked  the  rope,  and  began  to 
haul  it  in  again,  under  the  assurance  that  his  object  was 
effected. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  143 

At  that  moment  the  door  of  the  cabin  was  opened  hast 
ily,  and  a  warrior,  darting  through  the  little  room,  stood 
at  Deerslayer's  side,  simply  uttering  the  exclamation 
"Hugh!"  At  the  next  instant  Judith  and  Hetty  shrieked, 
and  the  air  was  rilled  with  the  yell  of  twenty  savages,  who 
came  leaping  through  the  branches  down  the  bank,  some 
actually  falling  headlong  into  the  water  in  their  haste. 

"Pull,  Deerslayer!"  cried  Judith,  hastily  barring  the 
door,  in  order  to  prevent  an  inroad  by  the  passage  through 
which  the  Delaware  had  just  entered;  "pull  for  life  and 
death — the  lake  is  full  of  savages  wading  after  us!" 

The  young  men — for  Chingachgook  immediately  came 
to  his  friend's  assistance — needed  no  second  bidding;  but 
they  applied  themselves  to  their  task  in  a  way  that  showed 
how  urgent  they  deemed  the  occasion.  The  great  diffi 
culty  was  in  suddenly  overcoming  the  vis  inertias  of  so 
large  a  mass;  for  once  in  motion,  it  was  easy  to  cause  the 
scow  to  skim  the  water  with  all  the  necessary  speed. 

"Pull,  Deerslayer,  for  Heaven's  sake!"  cried  Judith 
again  at  the  loop.  "These  wretches  rush  into  the  water 
like  hounds  following  their  prey!  Ah! — the  scow  moves! 
and  now  the  water  deepens  to  the  armpits  of  the  fore 
most;  still  they  rush  forward,  and  will  seize  the  ark!" 

A  slight  scream,  and  then  a  joyous  laugh  followed  from 
the  girl;  the  first  produced  by  a  desperate  effort  of  their 
pursuers,  and  the  last  by  its  failure;  the  scow,  which  had 
now  got  fairly  in  motion,  gliding  ahead  into  deep  water 
with  a  velocity  that  set  the  designs  of  their  enemies  at 
naught.  As  the  two  men  were  prevented  by  the  position 
of  the  cabin  from  seeing  what  passed  astern,  they  were 
compelled  to  inquire  of  the  girls  into  the  state  of  the 
chase. 

"What  now,  Judith?— what   next?     Do  the  Mingoesi 
still  follow,  or  are  we  quit  of  'em  for  the  present?"  de 
manded  Deerslayer,  when  he  felt  the  rope  yielding,  as  if 
the  scow  was  going  fast  ahead,  and  heard  the  scream  and 
the  laugh  of  the  girl  almost  in  the  same  breath. 

"They  have  vanished! — one,  the  last,  is  just  burying 
himself  in  the  bushes  of  the  bank — there,  he  has  disap 
peared  in  the  shadows  of  the  trees!  You  have  got  your 
friend,  and  we  are  all  safe!" 


144  THE   DEERSLAYER 

The  two  men  now  made  another  great  effort,  pulled  the 
ark  up  swiftly  to  the  grapnel,  tripped  it,  and  when  the 
scow  had  shot  some  distance,  and  lost  its  way,  they  let 
the  anchor  drop  again;  then,  for  the  first  time  since  their 
meeting,  they  ceased  their  efforts.  As  the  floating  house 
now  lay  several  hundred  feet  from  the  shore,  and  offered 
a  complete  protection  against  bullets,  there  was  no  longer 
any  danger,  or  any  motive  for  immediate  exertion. 

The  manner  in  which  the  two  friends  now  recognized 
each  other  was  highly  characteristic.  Chingachgook,  a 
noble,  tall,  handsome,  and  athletic  young  Indian  warrior, 
first  examined  his  rifle  with  care,  opening  the  pan  to 
make  sure  the  priming  was  not  wet;  and  assured  of  this 
important  fact,  he  next  cast  furtive  but  observant  glances 
around  him  at  the  strange  habitation  and  at  the  two 
girls;  still  he  spoke  not,  and  most  of  all  did  he  avoid  the 
betrayal  of  a  womanish  curiosity  by  asking  questions. 

"Judith  and  Hetty,"  said  Deerslayer,  with  an  untaught 
natural  courtesy,  "this  is  the  Mohican  chief  of  whom 
you've  heard  me  speak;  Chingachgook,  as  he  is  called, 
which  signifies  the  Big  Sarpent;  so  named  for  his  wisdom, 
and  prudence,  and  cunning;  my  'arliest  and  latest  friend. 
I  know'd  it  must  be  he,  by  the  hawk's  feather  over  the  left 
ear,  most  other  warriors  wearing  'em  on  the  warlock." 

As  Deerslayer  ceased  speaking,  he  laughed  heartily, 
excited  more  perhaps  by  the  delight  of  having  got  his 
friend  safe  at  his  side,  under  circumstances  so  trying, 
than  by  any  conceit  that  happened  to  cross  his  fancy,  and 
exhibiting  this  outbreaking  of  feeling  in  a  manner  that 
was  a  little  remarkable,  since  his  merriment  was  not  ac 
companied  by  any  noise.  Although  Chingachgook  both 
understood  and  spoke  English,  he  was  unwilling  to  com 
municate  his  thoughts  in  it,  like  most  Indians;  and  when 
he  had  met  Judith's  cordial  shake  of  the  hand,  and 
Hetty's  milder  salute,  in  the  courteous  manner  that 
became  a  chief,  he  turned  away,  apparently  to  await  the 
moment  when  it  might  suit  his  friend  to  enter  into  an 
explanation  of  his  future  intentions,  and  to  give  a  narra 
tive  of  what  had  passed  since  their  separation.  The  other 
understood  his  meaning,  and  discovered  his  own  mode  of 
reasoning  in  the  matter  by  addressing  the  girls. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  145 

"This  wind  will  soon  die  away  altogether,  now  the  sun 
is  down,"  he  said,  "and  there  is  no  need  of  rowing  ag'in 
it.  In  half  an  hour  or  so,  it  will  either  be  a  flat  calm  or 
the  air  will  come  off  from  the  south  shore,  when  we  will 
begin  our  journey  back  a'gin  to  the  castle;  in  the  mean 
while,  the  Delaware  and  I  will  talk  over  matters,  and  get 
correct  ideas  of  each  other's  notions  consarning  the  course 
we  ought  to  take. ' ' 

No  one  opposed  this  proposition,  and  the  girls  with 
drew  into  the  cabin  to  prepare  the  evening  meal,  while 
the  two  young  men  took  their  seats  on  the  head  of  the 
scow,  and  began  to  converse.  The  dialogue  was  in  the 
language  of  the  Delawares.  As  that  dialect  however,  is 
but  little  understood,  even  by  the  learned,  we  shall,  not 
only  on  this  but  on  all  subsequent  occasions,  render  such 
parts  as  it  may  be  necessary  to  give  closely  into  liberal 
English;  preserving,  as  far  as  possible,  the  idioms  and 
peculiarities  of  the  respective  speakers,  by  way  of  pre 
senting  the  pictures  in  the  most  graphic  forms  to  the 
minds  of  the  readers. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  the  details  first  related 
by  Deerslayer,  who  gave  a  brief  narrative  of  the  facts 
that  are  already  familiar  to  those  who  have  read  our 
pages.  In  relating  these  events,  however,  it  may  be  well 
to  say  that  the  speaker  touched  only  on  the  outlines,  more 
particularly  abstaining  from  saying  anything  about  his 
encounter  with,  and  victory  over  the  Iroquois,  as  well  as 
to  his  own  exertions  in  behalf  of  the  deserted  young 
women.  When  Deerslayer  ended,  the  Delaware  took  up 
the  narrative  in  turn,  speaking  sententiously,  and  with 
great  dignity.  His  account  was  both  clear  and  short,  nor 
was  it  embellished  by  any  incidents  that  did  not  directly 
concern  the  history  of  his  departure  from  the  villages  of 
his  people,  and  his  arrival  in  the  valley  of  the  Susque- 
hannah.  On  reaching  the  latter,  which  was  at  a  point 
only  half  a  mile  south  of  the  outlet,  he  had  soon  struck  a 
trail,  which  gave  him  notice  of  the  probable  vicinity  of 
enemies.  Being  prepared  for  such  an  occurrence,  the 
object  of  the  expedition  calling  him  directly  into  the 
neighborhood  of  the  party  of  Iroquois  that  was  known  to 
be  out,  he  considered  the  discovery  as  fortunate,  rather 
10 


146  THE   DEERSLAYER 

than  the  reverse,  and  took  the  usual  precautions  to  turn 
it  to  account.  First  following  the  river  to  its  source,  and 
ascertaining  the  position  of  the  rock,  he  met  another 
trail,  and  had  actually  been  hovering  for  hours  on  the 
flanks  of  his  enemies,  watching  equally  for  an  opportun 
ity  to  meet  his  mistress  and  to  take  a  scalp;  and  it  may 
be  questioned  which  he  most  ardently  desired.  He  kept 
near  the  lake,  and  occasionally  he  ventured  to  some  spot 
where  he  could  get  a  view  of  what  was  passing  on  its 
surface.  The  ark  had  been  seen  and  watched  from  the 
moment  it  hove  in  sight,  though  the  young  chief  was 
necessarily  ignorant  that  it  was  to  be  the  instrument 
of  effecting  the  desired  junction  with  his  friend.  The 
uncertainty  of  its  movements,  and  the  fact  that  it  was 
unquestionably  managed  by  white  men,  led  him  to  conjec 
ture  the  truth,  however,  and  he  held  himself  in  readiness 
to  get  on  board  whenever  a  suitable  occasion  might  offer. 
As  the  sun  drew  near  the  horizon,  he  repaired  to  the  rock, 
where,  on  emerging  from  the  forest,  he  was  gratified  in 
finding  the  ark  lying  apparently  in  readiness  to  receive 
him.  The  manner  of  his  appearance,  and  of  his  entrance 
into  the  craft,  is  known. 

Although  Chingachgook  had  been  closely  watching  his 
enemies  for  hours,  their  sudden  and  close  pursuit,  as  he 
reached  the  scow,  was  as  much  a  matter  of  surprise  to 
himself  as  it  had  been  to  his  friend.  He  could  only  account 
for  it  by  the  fact  of  their  being  more  numerous  than  he 
had  at  first  supposed,  and  by  their  having  out  parties,  of 
the  existence  of  which  he  was  ignorant.  Their  regular 
and  permanent  encampment,  if  the  word  permanent  can 
be  applied  to  the  residence  of  a  party  that  intended  to 
remain  out,  in  all  probability,  but  a  few  weeks,  was  not 
far  from  the  spot  where  Hutter  and  Hurry  had  fallen  into 
their  hands,  and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  near  a  spring. 

"Well,  Sarpent, "  asked  Deerslayer,  when  the  other 
had  ended  his  brief  but  spirited  narrative,  speaking 
always  in  the  Delaware  tongue,  which,  for  the  reader's 
convenience  only,  we  render  into  the  peculiar  vernacular 
of  the  speaker,  "well,  Sarpent,  as  you've  been  scouting 
around  these  Mingoes,  have  you  anything  to  tell  us  of 
their  captyves;  the  father  of  these  young  women  and 


THE   DEERSLAYER  147 

another,  who,  I  somewhat  conclude,  is  the  lovyer  of  one 
of  'em?" 

"Chingachgook  has  seen  them.  An  old  man  and  a 
young  warrior — the  falling  hemlock  and  the  tall  pine." 

"You're  not  so  much  out,  Delaware;  you're  not  so 
much  out.  Old  Hutter  is  decaying  of  a  sartainty,  though 
many  solid  blocks  might  be  hewn  out  of  his  trunk  yet; 
and,  as  for  Hurry  Harry,  so  far  as  height,  and  strength, 
and  comeliness  go,  he  may  be  called  the  pride  of  the 
human  forest.  Were  the  men  bound,  or  in  any  manner 
suffering  torture?  I  ask  on  account  of  the  young  women; 
who,  I  daresay,  would  be  glad  to  know." 

"It  is  not  so,  Deerslayer.  The  Mingoes  are  too  many 
to  cage  their  game.  Some  watch,  some  sleep,  some  scout, 
some  hunt.  The  pale  faces  are  treated  like  brothers 
to-day;  to-morrow  they  will  lose  their  scalps." 

"Yes,  that's  red  natur',  and  must  be  submitted  to! 
Judith  and  Hetty,  here's  comforting  tidings  for  you,  the 
Delaware  telling  me  that  neither  your  father  nor  Hurry 
Harry  is  in  suffering;  but,  bating  the  loss  of  liberty,  as 
well  off  as  we  are  ourselves.  Of  course  they  are  kept  in 
the  camp;  otherwise  they  do  much  as  they  please." 

"I  rejoice  to  hear  this,  Deerslayer,"  returned  Judith, 
"and  now  we  are  joined  by  your  friend,  I  make  no 
manner  of  question  that  we  shall  find  an  opportunity  to 
ransom  the  prisoners.  If  there  are  any  women  in  the 
camp,  I  have  articles  of  dress  that  will  catch  their  eyes; 
and,  should  the  worst  come  to  the  worst,  we  can  open  the 
good  chest,  which,  I  think,  will  be  found  to  hold  things 
that  may  tempt  the  chiefs." 

"Judith,"  said  the  young  man,  looking  up  at  her  with 
a  smile,  and  an  expression  of  earnest  curiosity,  that,  spite 
of  the  growing  obscurity,  did  not  escape  the  watchful 
looks  of  the  girl,  "can  you  find  it  in  your  heart  to  part 
with  your  own  finery  to  release  prisoners;  even  though 
one  be  your  own  father,  and  the  other  is  your  sworn 
suitor  and  lover?" 

The  flush  on  the  face  of  the  girl  arose  in  part  from 
resentment,  but  more  perhaps  from  a  gentler  and  novel 
feeling,  that,  with  the  capricious  waywardness  of  taste, 
had  been  rapidly  rendering  her  more  sensitive  to  the  good 


148  THE   DEERSLAYER 

opinion  of  the  youth  who  questioned  her,  than  to  that  of 
any  other  person.  Suppressing  the  angry  sensation  with 
instinctive  quickness,  she  answered  with  a  readiness  and 
truth  that  caused  her  sister  to  draw  near  to  listen,  though 
the  obtuse  intellect  of  the  latter  was  far  from  compre 
hending  the  workings  of  a  heart  as  treacherous,  as  un 
certain,  and  as  impetuous  in  its  feelings  as  that  of  the 
spoiled  and  flattered  beauty. 

"Deerslayer, ' '  answered  Judith,  after  a  moment's  pause, 
"I  shall  be  honest  with  you.  I  confess  that  the  time  has 
been  when  what  you  call  finery  was  to  me  the  dearest 
thing  on  earth;  but  I  begin  to  feel  differently.  Though 
Hurry  Harry  is  naught  to  me,  nor  ever  can  be,  I  would 
give  all  I  own  to  set  him  free.  If  I  would  do  this  for 
blustering,  bullying,  talking  Hurry,  who  has  nothing  but 
good  looks  to  recommend  him,  you  may  judge  what  I 
would  do  for  my  own  father. ' ' 

"This  sounds  well,  and  is  according  to  woman's  gifts. 
Ah's  me!  The  same  feelin's  is  to  be  found  among  the 
young  women  of  the  Delawares.  I've  known  'em,  often 
and  often,  sacrifice  their  vanity  to  their  hearts.  'Tis  as 
it  should  be— 'tis  as  it  should  be,  I  suppose,  in  both  colors. 
Woman  was  created  for  the  feelin's,  and  is  pretty  much 
ruled  by  feelin'!" 

'  'Would  the  savages  let  father  go,  if  Judith  and  I  gave 
them  all  our  best  things'?"  demanded  Hetty,  in  her 
innocent,  mild  manner. 

"Their  women  might  interfere,  good  Hetty;  yes,  their 
women  might  interfere  with  such  an  ind  in  view.  But, 
tell  me,  Sarpent,  how  it  is  as  to  squaws  among  the  knaves; 
have  they  many  of  their  own  women  in  the  camp?" 

The  Delaware  heard  and  understood  all  that  passed; 
though  with  Indian  gravity  and  finesse  he  had  sat,  with 
averted  face,  seemingly  inattentive  to  a  discourse  in 
which  he  had  no  direct  concern.  This  appealed  to,  how 
ever,  he  answered  his  friend  in  his  ordinary  sententious 
manner. 

"Six,"  he  said,  holding  up  all  the  fingers  of  one  hand, 
and  the  thumb  of  the  other;  "besides  this."  The  last 
number  denoted  his  betrothed;  whom,  with  the  poetry 
and  truth  of  nature,  he  described  by  laying  his  hand  on 
his  own  heart. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  149 

"Did  you  see  her,  chief — did  you  get  a  glimpse  of  her 
pleasant  countenance,  or  come  close  enough  to  her  ear  to 
sing  in  it  the  song  she  loves  to  hear?" 

"No,  Deerslayer — the  trees  were  too  many,  and  leaves 
covered  their  boughs,  like  clouds  hiding  the  heavens  is  a 
storm.  But,"  and  the  young  warrior  turned  his  dark 
face  towards  his  friend,  with  a  smile  on  it  that  illumi 
nated  its  fierce-looking  paint  and  naturally  stern  linea 
ments  with  a  bright  gleam  of  human  feeling,  "Chingach- 
gook  heard  the  laugh  of  Wah-ta-Wah;  he  knew  it  from  the 
laugh  of  the  women  of  the  Iroquois.  It  sounded  in  his 
ears  like  the  chirp  of  the  wren." 

"Ay,  trust  a  lovyer's  ear  for  that;  and  a  Delaware's  ear 
for  all  sounds  that  are  ever  heard  in  the  woods.  I  know 
not  why  it  is  so,  Judith,  but  when  young  men — and  I  dare 
to  say  it  may  be  all  the  same  with  young  women,  too — but 
when  they  get  to  have  kind  feelin's  towards  each  other, 
it's  wonderful  how  pleasant  the  laugh  or  the  speech 
becomes  to  the  other  person.  I've  seen  grim  warriors 
listening  to  the  chattering  and  the  laughing  of  young 
gals  as  if  it  was  church  music;  such  as  is  heard  in  the  old 
Dutch  church  that  stands  in  the  great  street  of  Albany, 
where  I've  been  more  than  once,  with  peltry  and  game." 

"And  you,  Deerslayer,"  said  Judith  quickly,  and  with 
more  sensibility  than  marked  her  usually  light  and 
thoughtless  manner;  "have  you  never  felt  how  pleasant 
it  is  to  listen  to  the  laugh  of  the  girl  you  love?" 

"Lord  bless  you,  gal!  why  I've  never  lived  enough 
among  my  own  color  to  drop  into  them  sort  of  feelin's— 
no,  never!  I  dare  to  say,  they  are  nat'ral  and  right;  but 
to  me  there's  no  music  so  sweet  as  the  sighing  of  the  wind 
in  the  tree- tops,  and  the  rippling  of  a  stream  from  a  full, 
sparkling,  natyve  fountain  of  pure  fresh  water;  unless, 
indeed,"  he  continued,  dropping  his  head  for  an  instant 
in  a  thoughtful  manner,  "unless,  indeed,  it  be  the  open 
mouth  of  a  sartain  hound,  when  I'm  on  the  track  of  a  fat 
buck.  As  for  unsartain  dogs,  I  care  little  for  their  cries, 
seein'  they  are  as  likely  to  speak  when  the  deer  is  not  in 
sight  as  when  it  is." 

Judith  walked  slowly  and  pensively  away,  nor  was  there 
any  of  her  ordinary  calculating  coquetry  in  the  light 


150  THE   DEERSLAYER 

tremulous  sigh  that,  unconsciously  to  herself,  arose  to  her 
lips.  On  the  other  hand,  Hetty  listened  with  guileless 
attention;  though  it  struck  her  simple  mind  as  singular 
that  the  young  man  should  prefer  the  melody  of  the  woods 
to  the  songs  of  girls,  or  even  to  the  laugh  of  innocence 
and  joy.  Accustomed,  however,  to  defer  in  most  things 
to  her  sister,  she  soon  followed  Judith  into  the  cabin, 
where  she  took  a  seat,  and  remained  pondering  intensely 
over  some  occurrence,  or  resolution,  or  opinion,  which 
was  a  secret  to  all  but  herself.  Left  alone,  Deerslayer 
and  his  friend  resumed  their  discourse. 

"Has  the  young  pale-face  hunter  been  long  on  this 
lake?"  demanded  the  Delaware,  after  courteously  waiting 
for  the  other  to  speak  first. 

"Only  since  yesterday  noon,  Sarpent;  though  that  has 
been  long  enough  to  see  and  do  much. ' ' 

The  gaze  that  the  Indian  fastened  on  his  companion 
was  so  keen  that  it  seemed  to  mock  the  gathering  dark 
ness  of  the  night.  As  the  other  furtively  returned  his 
look,  he  saw  the  two  black  eyes  glistening  on  him,  like 
the  balls  of  the  panther,  or  those  of  the  penned  wolf.  He 
understood  the  meaning  of  this  glowing  gaze,  and  an 
swered  evasively,  as  he  fancied  would  best  become  the 
modesty  of  a  white  man's  gifts. 

'  'Tis  as  you  suspect,  Sarpent;  yes,  'tis  somewhat  that- 
a-way.  I  have  fell  in  with  the  inimy,  and  I  suppose  it 
may  be  said  I've  fou't  them,  too." 

An  exclamation  of  delight  and  exultation  escaped  the 
Indian;  and  then,  laying  his  hand  eagerly  on  the  arm  of 
his  friend,  he  asked  if  there  were  any  scalps  taken. 

"That  I  will  maintain,  in  the  face  of  all  the  Delaware 
tribe,  old  Tamenund,  and  your  father,  the  great  Uncas, 
as  well  as  the  rest,  is  ag'in  white  gifts!  My  scalp  is  on 
my  head,  as  you  can  see,  Sarpent,  and  that  was  the  only 
scalp  that  was  in  danger,  when  one  side  was  altogether 
Christian  and  white." 

"Did  no  warrior  fall?  Deerslayer  did  not  get  his  name 
by  being  slow  of  sight,  or  clumsy  with  the  rifle!" 

"In  that  particular,  chief,  you're  nearer  reason,  and 
therefore  nearer  being  right.  I  may  say  one  Mingo 
fell." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  151 

"A  chief!"  demanded  the  other,  with  startling  vehem 
ence. 

"Nay,  that's  more  than  I  know  or  can  say.  He  was 
artful,  and  treacherous,  and  stout-hearted,  and  may  well 
have  gained  popularity  enough  with  his  people  to  be 
named  to  that  rank.  The  man  fou'twell,  though  his  eye 
wasn't  quick  enough  for  one  who  had  had  his  schooling 
in  your  company,  Delaware." 

"My  brother  and  friend  struck  the  body?" 

"That  was  uncalled  for,  seeing  that  the  Mingo  died  in 
my  arms.  The  truth  may  as  well  be  said  at  once;  he  fou't 
like  a  man  of  red  gifts,  and  I  fou't  like  a  man  with  gifts 
of  my  own  color.  God  gave  me  the  victory;  I  couldn't 
fly  in  the  face  of  his  providence  by  forgetting  my  birth 
and  natur'.  White  he  made  me,  and  white  I  shall  live 
and  die." 

"Good!  Deerslayer  is  a  pale  face,  and  has  pale-face 
hands.  A  Delaware  will  look  for  the  scalp,  and  hang  it 
on  a  pole,  and  sing  a  song  in  his  honor,  when  we  go  back 
to  our  people.  The  honor  belongs  to  the  tribe;  it  must 
not  be  lost." 

"This  is  easy  talking,  but  'twill  not  be  as  easy  doing. 
The  Mingo's  body  is  in  the  hands  of  his  fri'nds,  and,  no 
doubt,  is  hid  in  some  hole,  where  Delaware  cunning  will 
never  be  able  to  get  at  the  scalp." 

The  young  man  then  gave  his  friend  a  succinct,  but 
clear  account  of  the  event  of  the  morning,  concealing 
nothing  of  any  moment,  and  yet  touching  on  everything 
modestly,  and  with  a  careful  attention  to  avoid  the  Indian 
habit  of  boasting.  Chingachgook  again  expressed  his 
satisfaction  at  the  honor  won  by  his  friend,  and  then  both 
arose,  the  hour  having  arrived  when  it  became  prudent  to 
move  the  ark  further  from  the  land. 

It  was  now  quite  dark;  the  heavens  having  become 
clouded,  and  the  stars  hid.  The  north  wind  had  ceased, 
as  was  usual,  with  the  setting  of  the  sun,  and  a  light  air 
arose  from  the  south.  This  change  favoring  the  design 
of  Deerslayer,  he  lifted  his  grapnel,  and  the  scow  imme 
diately  and  quite  perceptibly  began  to  drift  more  into  the 
lake.  The  sail  was  set,  when  the  motion  of  the  craft  in 
creased  to  a  rate  not  much  less  than  two  miles  in  the 


152  THE   DEERSLAYER 

hour.  As  this  superseded  the  necessity  of  rowing — an 
occupation  that  an  Indian  would  not  be  likely  to  desire— 
Deerslayer,  Chingachgook,  and  Judith  seated  themselves 
in  the  stern  of  the  scow,  where  the  first  governed  its 
movements  by  holding  the  oar.  Here  they  discoursed  on 
their  future  movements,  and  on  the  means  that  ought  to 
be  used  in  order  to  effect  the  liberation  of  their  friends. 
In  this  dialogue  Judith  held  a  material  part;  the  Dela 
ware  readily  understanding  all  she  said,  while  his  own 
replies  and  remarks,  both  of  which  were  few  and  pithy, 
were  occasionally  rendered  into  English  by  his  friend. 
Judith  rose  greatly  in  the  estimation  of  her  companions, 
in  the  half  hour  that  followed.  Prompt  of  resolution  and 
firm  of  purpose,  her  suggestions  and  expedients  partook 
of  her  spirit  and  sagacity,  both  of  which  were  of  a  char 
acter  to  find  favor  with  men  of  the  frontier.  The  events 
that  had  occurred  since  their  meeting,  as  well  as  her  iso 
lated  and  dependent  situation,  induced  the  girl  to  feel 
towards  Deerslayer  like  the  friend  of  a  year,  instead  of 
an  acquaintance  of  a  day;  and  so  completely  had  she  been 
won  by  his  guileless  truth  of  character  and  of  feeling — 
pure  novelties  in  our  sex,  as  respected  her  own  experience 
— that  his  peculiarities  excited  her  curiosity,  and  created 
a  confidence  that  had  never  been  awakened  by  any  other 
man.  Hitherto  she  had  been  compelled  to  stand  on  the 
defensive,  in  her  intercourse  with  men — with  what  success 
was  best  known  to  herself;  but  here  had  she  been  suddenly 
thrown  into  the  society,  and  under  the  protection  of  a 
youth,  who  evidently  as  little  contemplated  evil  towards 
herself  as  if  he  had  been  her  brother.  The  freshness  of 
his  integrity,  the  poetry  and  truth  of  his  feelings,  and 
even  the  quaintness  of  his  forms  of  speech,  all  had  their 
influence,  and  aided  in  awakening  an  interest  that  she 
found  as  pure  as  it  was  sudden  and  deep.  Hurry's  fine 
face  and  manly  form  had  never  compensated  for  his  bois 
terous  and  vulgar  turn;  and  her  intercourse  with  the  offi 
cers  had  prepared  her  to  make  comparisons  under  which 
even  his  great  natural  advantages  suffered.  But  this  very 
intercourse  with  the  officers  who  occasionally  came  upon 
the  lake  to  fish  and  hunt,  had  an  effect  in  producing  her 
present  sentiments  towards  the  young  stranger.  With 


THE   DEERSLAYER  153 

them,  while  her  vanity  had  been  gratified,  and  her  self- 
love  strongly  awakened,  she  had  many  causes  deeply  to 
regret  the  acquaintance — if  not  to  mourn  over  it  in  secret 
sorrow — for  it  was  impossible  for  one  of  her  quick  intel 
lect  not  to  perceive  how  hollow  was  the  association  be 
tween  superior  and  inferior,  and  that  she  was  regarded  as 
the  plaything  of  an  idle  hour,  rather  than  as  an  equal  and 
a  friend,  by  even  the  best  intentioned  and  least  designing 
of  her  scarlet-clad  admirers.  Deerslayer,  on  the  other 
hand,  had  a  window  in  his  breast,  through  which  the  light 
of  his  honesty  was  ever  shining;  and  even  his  indifference 
to  charms  that  so  rarely  failed  to  produce  a  sensation 
piqued  the  pride  of  the  girl,  and  gave  him  an  interest 
that  another,  seemingly  more  favored  by  nature,  might 
have  failed  to  excite. 

In  this  manner  half  an  hour  passed,  during  which  time 
the  ark  had  been  slowly  stealing  over  the  water,  the  dark 
ness  thickening  around  it;  though  it  was  easy  to  see  that 
the  gloom  of  the  forest  at  the  southern  end  of  the  lake 
was  getting  to  be  distant,  while  the  mountains  that  lined 
the  sides  of  the  beautiful  basin  were  overshadowing  it 
nearly  from  side  to  side.  There  was,  indeed,  a  narrow 
stripe  of  water,  in  the  center  of  the  lake,  where  the  dim 
light  that  was  still  shed  from  the  heavens  fell  upon  its 
surface,  in  a  line  extending  north  and  south;  and  along 
this  faint  tract — a  sort  of  inverted  milky  way,  in  which 
the  obscurity  was  not  quite  as  dense  as  in  other  places — 
the  scow  held  her  course,  he  who  steered  well  knowing 
that  it  led  in  the  direction  he  wished  to  go.  The  reader 
is  not  to  suppose,  however,  that  any  difficulty  could  exist 
as  to  the  course.  This  would  have  been  determined  by 
that  of  the  air,  had  it  not  been  possible  to  distinguish 
the  mountains,  as  well  as  by  the  dim  opening  to  the 
south,  which  marked  the  position  of  the  valley  in  that 
quarter,  above  the  plain  of  tall  trees,  by  a  sort  of  lessened 
obscurity;  the  difference  between  the  darkness  of  the 
forest  and  that  of  the  night,  as  seen  only  in  the  air.  The 
peculiarities  at  length  caught  the  attention  of  Judith  and 
the  Deerslayer,  and  the  conversation  ceased,  to  allow  each 
to  gaze  at  the  solemn  stillness  and  deep  repose  of  nature. 

"  'Tis  a  gloomy  night,"  observed  the  girl,  after  a 


154  THE   DEERSLAYER 

pause  of  several  minutes.  "I  hope  we  may  be  able  to 
find  the  castle." 

"Little  fear  of  our  missing  that,  if  we  keep  this  path, 
in  the  middle  of  the  lake,"  returned  the  young  man. 
"Natur'  has  made  us  a  road  here,  and,  dim  as  it  is, 
there'll  be  little  difficulty  in  following  it." 

"Do  you  hear  nothing,  Deerslayer?  It  seemed  as  if  the 
water  was  stirring  quite  near  us!" 

"Sartainly  something  did  move  the  water,  oncommon 
like;  it  must  have  been  a  fish.  Them  creatur's  prey  upon 
each  other  like  men  and  animals  on  the  land;  one  has 
leaped  into  the  air,  and  fallen  back  hard  into  his  own 
element.  'Tis  of  little  use,  Judith,  for  any  to  strive  to 
get  out  of  their  elements,  since  it's  natur'  to  stay  in  'em; 
and  natur'  will  have  its  way.  Ha!  that  sounds  like  a 
paddle,  used  with  more  than  common  caution!" 

At  this  moment  the  Delaware  bent  forward  and  pointed 
significantly  into  the  boundary  of  gloom,  as  if  some  object 
had  suddenly  caught  his  eye.  Both  Deerslayer  and  Judith 
followed  the  direction  of  his  gesture,  and  each  got  a  view 
of  a  canoe  at  the  same  instant.  The  glimpse  of  this 
startling  neighbor  was  dim,  and,  to  eyes  less  practised,  it 
might  have  been  uncertain;  though  to  those  in  the  ark, 
the  object  was  evidently  a  canoe,  with  a  single  individual 
in  it;  the  latter  standing  erect  and  paddling.  How  many 
lay  concealed  in  its  bottom,  of  course  could  not  be  known. 
Flight,  by  means  of  oars,  from  a  bark  canoe  impelled  by 
vigorous  and  skilful  hands,  was  utterly  impracticable,  and 
each  of  the  men  seized  his  rifle  in  expectation  of  a 
conflict. 

"I  can  easily  bring  down  the  paddler,"  whispered 
Deerslayer,  "but  we'll  first  hail  him  and  ask  hisarr'nd." 
Then  raising  his  voice,  he  continued  in  a  solemn  manner: 
"Hold!  If  you  come  nearer  I  must  fire,  though  contrary 
to  my  wishes,  and  then  sartain  death  will  follow.  Stop 
paddling,  and  answer!" 

"Fire,  and  slay  a  poor  defenseless  girl,"  returned  a 
soft,  tremulous  female  voice,  "and  God  will  never  for 
give  you!  Go  your  way,  Deerslayer,  and  let  me  go  mine." 

"Hetty!"  exclaimed  the  young  man  and  Judith  in  a 
breath;  and  the  former  sprang  instantly  to  the  spot  where 


THE   DEERSLAYER  155 

he  had  left  the  canoe  they  had  been  towing.  It  was  gone, 
and  he  understood  the  whole  affair.  As  for  the  fugitive^ 
frightened  at  the  menace,  she  ceased  paddling,  and 
remained  dimly  visible,  resembling  a  spectral  outline  of  a 
human  form,  standing  on  the  water.  At  the  next  moment 
the  sail  was  lowered  to  prevent  the  ark  from  passing  the 
spot  where  the  canoe  lay.  This  last  expedient,  however, 
was  not  taken  in  time;  for  the  momentum  of  so  heavy  a 
craft  and  the  impulsion  of  the  air  soon  set  her  by,  bring 
ing  Hetty  directly  to  windward,  though  still  visible,  as 
the  change  in  the  positions  of  the  two  boats  now  placed 
her  in  that  species  of  milky  way  which  has  been  men 
tioned. 

"What  can  this  mean,  Judith?"  demanded  Deerslayer. 

"Why  has  your  sister  taken  the  canoe,  and  left  us?" 

"You  know  she  is  feeble-minded,  poor  girl!  and  she 
has  her  own  ideas  of  what  ought  to  be  done.  She  loves 
her  father  more  than  most  children  love  their  parents — 
and  then — 

"Then  what,  girl?  This  is  a  trying  moment;  one  in 
which  truth  must  be  spoken!" 

Judith  felt  a  generous  and  womanly  regret  at  betraying 
her  sister,  and  she  hesitated  ere  she  spoke  again.  But 
once  more  urged  by  Deerslayer,  and  conscious  herself  of 
all  the  risks  the  whole  party  was  running  by  the  indiscre 
tion  of  Hetty,  she  could  refrain  no  longer. 

"Then  I  fear  poor,  weak-minded  Hetty  has  not  been 
altogether  able  to  see  the  vanity,  and  madness,  and  folly 
that  lie  hid  behind  the  handsome  face  and  fine  form  of 
Hurry  Harry.  She  talks  of  him  in  her  sleep,  and  some 
times  betrays  the  inclination  in  her  waking  moments." 

"You  think,  Judith,  that  your  sister  is  now  bent  on 
some  mad  scheme  to  serve  her  father  and  Hurry,  which 
will,  in  all  likelihood,  give  them  riptyles,  the  Mingoes, 
the  mastership  of  a  canoe?" 

"Such,  I  fear,  will  turn  out  to  be  the  fact,  Deerslayer. 
Poor  Hetty  has  hardly  sufficient  cunning  to  outwit  a 
savage. ' ' 

All  this  while  the  canoe,  with  the  form  of  Hetty  erect 
in  one  end  of  it,  was  dimly  perceptible;  though  the 
greater  drift  of  the  ark  rendered  it  at  each  instant  less 


156  THE   DEERSLAYER 

and  less  distinct.  It  was  evident  no  time  was  to  be  lost, 
lest  it  should  altogether  disappear.  The  rifles  were  now 
laid  aside  as  useless;  the  two  men  seizing  the  oars,  and 
sweeping  the  head  of  the  scow  round  in  the  direction  of 
the  canoe.  Judith,  accustomed  to  the  office,  flew  to  the 
other  end  of  the  ark  and  placed  herself  at  what  might  be 
called  the  helm.  Hetty  took  the  alarm  at  these  prepara 
tions,  which  could  not  be  made  without  noise,  and  started 
off  like  a  bird  that  had  been  suddenly  put  up  by  the 
approach  of  unexpected  danger. 

As  Deerslayer  and  his  companion  rowed  with  the  energy 
of  those  who  felt  the  necessity  of  straining  every  nerve, 
and  Hetty's  strength  was  impaired  by  a  nervous  desire  to 
escape,  the  chase  would  have  quickly  terminated  in  the 
capture  of  the  fugitive  had  not  the  girl  made  several 
short  and  unlooked-for  deviations  in  her  course.  These 
turnings  gave  her  time,  and  they  had  also  the  effect  of 
gradually  bringing  both  canoe  and  ark  within  the  deeper 
gloom  cast  by  the  shadows  from  the  hills.  They  also 
gradually  increased  the  distance  between  the  fugitive  and 
her  pursuers,  until  Judith  called  out  to  her  companions 
to  cease  rowing,  for  she  had  completely  lost  sight  of  the 
canoe. 

When  this  mortifying  announcement  was  made,  Hetty 
was  actually  so  near  as  to  understand  every  syllable  her 
sister  uttered;  though  the  latter  had  used  the  precaution 
of  speaking  as  low  as  circumstances  would  allow  her  to 
do,  and  make  herself  heard.  Hetty  stopped  paddling  at 
the  same  moment,  and  waited  the  result  with  an  impa 
tience  that  was  breathless,  equally  from  her  late  exertions 
and  her  desire  to  land.  A  dead  silence  immediately  fell 
on  the  lake;  during  which  the  three  in  the  ark  were  using 
their  senses  differently  in  order  to  detect  the  position  of 
the  canoe.  Judith  leant  forward  to  listen,  in  the  hope  of 
catching  some  sound  that  might  betray  the  direction  in 
which  her  sister  was  stealing  away;  while  her  two  com 
panions  brought  their  eyes  as  near  as  possible  to  a  level 
with  the  water,  in  order  to  detect  any  object  that  might 
be  floating  on  its  surface.  All  was  vain,  however,  for 
neither  sound  nor  sight  rewarded  their  efforts.  All  this 
time,  Hetty,  who  had  not  the  cunning  to  sink  into  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  157 

canoe,  stood  erect,  a  finger  pressed  on  her  lips,  gazing  in 
the  direction  in  which  the  voices  had  been  heard,  resem 
bling  a  statue  of  profound  and  timid  attention.  Her 
ingenuity  had  barely  sufficed  to  enable  her  to  seize  the 
canoe  and  to  quit  the  ark  in  the  noiseless  manner  related ; 
and  then  it  appeared  to  be  momentarily  exhausted.  Even 
the  doubling  of  the  canoe  had  been  as  much  the  conse 
quence  of  an  uncertain  hand,  and  of  nervous  agitation,  as 
of  any  craftiness  or  calculation. 

The  pause  continued  several  minutes;  during  which 
Deerslayer  and  the  Delaware  conferred  together  in  the 
language  of  the  latter.  Then  the  oars  dipped  again,  and 
the  ark  moved  away,  rowing  with  as  little  noise  as  pos 
sible.  It  steered  westward,  a  little  southerly,  or  in  the 
direction  of  the  encampment  of  the  enemy.  Having 
reached  a  point  at  no  great  distance  from  the  shore,  and 
where  the  obscurity  was  intense,  on  account  of  the  prox 
imity  of  the  land,  it  lay  there  near  an  hour,  in  waiting 
for  the  expected  approach  of  Hetty;  who,  it  was  thought, 
would  make  the  best  of  her  way  to  that  spot  as  soon  as 
she  believed  herself  relieved  from  the  danger  of  pursuit. 
No  success  rewarded  this  little  blockade,  however;  neither 
appearance  nor  sound  denoting  the  passage  of  the  canoe. 
Disappointed  at  this  failure,  and  conscious  of  the  impor 
tance  of  getting  possession  of  the  fortress  before  it  could 
be  seized  by  the  enemy,  Deerslayer  now  took  his  way 
towards  the  castle,  with  the  apprehension  that  all  his 
foresight  in  securing  the  canoes  would  be  defeated  by  this 
unguarded  and  alarming  movement  on  the  part  of  the 
feeble-minded  Hetty. 


CHAPTER  X 

"  But  who  in  this  wild  wood 
May  credit  give  to  either  eye  or  ear  ? 
From  rocky  precipice  or  hollow  cave, 
'  Midst  the  confused  sound  of  rustling  leaves, 
And  crackling  boughs,  and  cries  of  nightly  birds. 
Returning  seeming  answer." 

—JOANNA  BAILLIE. 

FEAR,  as  much  as  calculation,  had  induced  Hetty  to 
cease  paddling,  when  she  found  that  her  pursuers  did  not 
know  in  which  direction  to  proceed.  She  remained  station 
ary,  until  the  ark  had  pulled  in  near  the  encampment,  as 
has  been  related  in  the  preceding  chapter;  when  she  re 
sumed  the  paddle  and  with  cautious  strokes  made  the  best 
of  her  way  towards  the  western  shore.  In  order  to  avoid 
her  pursuers,  however,  who,  she  rightly  suspected,  would 
soon  be  rowing  along  that  shore  themselves,  the  head  of 
the  canoe  was  pointed  so  far  north  as  to  bring  her  to  land 
on  a  point  that  thrust  itself  into  the  lake,  at  the  distance 
of  near  a  league  from  the  outlet.  Nor  was  this  altogether 
the  result  of  a  desire  to  escape;  for,  feeble-minded  as  she 
was,  Hetty  Hutter  had  a  good  deal  of  that  instinctive 
caution  which  so  often  keeps  those  whom  God  has  thus 
visited  from  harm.  She  was  perfectly  aware  of  the 
importance  of  keeping  the  canoes  from  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  Iroquois;  and  long  familiarity  with  the  lake 
had  suggested  one  of  the  simplest  expedients,  by  which 
this  great  object  could  be  rendered  compatible  with  her 
own  purpose. 

The  point  in  question  was  the  first  projection  that 
offered  on  that  side  of  the  lake,  where  a  canoe,  if  set 
adrift  with  a  southerly  air,  would  float  clear  of  the  land; 
and  where  it  would  be  no  great  violation  of  probabilities 
to  suppose  it  might  even  hit  the  castle;  the  latter  lying 
above  it,  almost  in  a  direct  line  with  the  wind.  Such, 
then,  was  Hetty's  intention;  and  she  landed  on  the  ex 
tremity  of  the  gravelly  point,  beneath  an  overhanging 

158 


THE   DEERSLAYER  159 

oak,  with  the  express  intention  of  shoving  the  canoe  off 
from  the  shore,  in  order  that  it  might  drift  up  towards 
her  father's  isolated  abode.  She  knew,  too,  from  the 
logs  that  occasionally  floated  about  the  lake,  that  did  it 
miss  the  castle  and  its  appendages,  the  wind  would  be 
likely  to  change  before  the  canoe  could  reach  the  northern 
extremity  of  the  lake,  and  that  Deerslayer  might  have  an 
opportunity  of  regaining  it  in  the  morning,  when  no 
doubt  he  would  be  earnestly  sweeping  the  surface  of  the 
water,  and  the  whole  of  its  wooded  shores,  with  the  glass. 
In  all  this,  too,  Hetty  was  less  governed  by  any  chain  of 
reasoning  than  by  her  habits;  the  latter  often  supplying 
the  defects  of  mind  in  human  beings,  as  they  perform  the 
same  office  for  animals  of  the  inferior  classes. 

The  girl  was  quite  an  hour  finding  her  way  to  the 
point,  the  distance  and  the  obscurity  equally  detaining 
her;  but  she  was  no  sooner  on  the  gravelly  beach  than  she 
prepared  to  set  the  canoe  adrift,  in  the  manner  men 
tioned.  While  in  the  act  of  pushing  it  from  her,  she 
heard  low  voices  that  seemed  to  come  from  among  the 
trees  behind  her.  Startled  at  this  unexpected  danger, 
Hetty  was  on  the  point  of  springing  into  the  canoe  again, 
in  order  to  seek  safety  in  flight,  when  she  thought  she 
recognized  the  tones  of  Judith's  melodious  voice.  Bend 
ing  forward  so  as  to  catch  the  sounds  more  directly,  they 
evidently  came  from  the  water;  and  then  she  understood 
that  the  ark  was  approaching  from  the  south,  and  so  close 
in  with  the  western  shore  as  necessarily  to  cause  it  to 
pass  the  point  within  twenty  yards  of  the  spot  where  she 
stood.  Here,  then,  was  all  she  could  desire;  the  canoe 
was  shoved  off  into  the  lake,  leaving  its  late  occupant 
alone  on  the  narrow  strand. 

When  this  act  of  self-devotion  was  performed,  Hetty 
did  not  retire.  The  foliage  of  the  overhanging  trees  and 
bushes  would  have  almost  concealed  her  person,  had  there 
been  light;  but  in  that  obscurity,  it  was  utterly  impos 
sible  to  discover  any  object  thus  shaded,  at  the  distance 
of  a  few  feet.  Flight,  too,  was  perfectly  easy,  as  twenty 
steps  would  effectually  bury  her  in  the  forest.  She 
remained,  therefore,  watching  with  intense  anxiety  the 
result  of  her  expedient,  intending  to  call  the  attention  of 


160  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  others  to  the  canoe  with  her  voice,  should  they  appear 
to  pass  without  observing  it.  The  ark  approached  under 
its  sail  again;  Deerslayer  standing  in  its  bow,  with  Judith 
near  him,  and  the  Delaware  at  the  helm.  It  would  seem 
that,  in  the  bay  below,  it  had  got  too  close  to  the  shore, 
in  the  lingering  hope  of  intercepting  Hetty;  for,  as  it 
came  nearer,  the  latter  distinctly  heard  the  directions 
that  the  young  man  forward  gave  to  his  companion,  in 
order  to  clear  the  point. 

"Lay  her  head  more  off  the  shore,  Delaware,"  said 
Deerslayer,  for  the  third  time,  speaking  in  English,  that 
his  fair  companion  might  understand  his  words;  "lay  her 
head  well  off  shore.  We  have  got  embayed  here,  and 
needs  keep  the  mast  clear  of  the  trees.  Judith,  there's  a 
canoe ! ' ' 

The  last  words  were  uttered  with  great  earnestness, 
and  Deerslayer's  hand  was  on  his  rifle  ere  they  were  fairly 
out  of  his  mouth.  But  the  truth  flashed  on  the  mind  of 
the  quick-witted  girl,  and  she  instantly  told  her  com 
panion  that  the  boat  must  be  that  in  which  her  sister  had 
fled. 

"Keep  the  scow  straight,  Delaware;  steer  as  straight  as 
your  bullet  flies  when  sent  ag'  in  a  buck ;  there — I  have  it. ' ' 

The  canoe  was  seized,  and  immediately  secured  again 
to  the  side  of  the  ark.  At  the  next  moment  the  sail  was 
lowered,  and  the  motion  of  the  ark  arrested,  by  means  of 
the  oars. 

"Hetty!"  called  out  Judith,  concern,  even  affection, 
betraying  itself  in  her  tones;  "are  you  within  hearing, 
sister — for  God's  sake  answer,  and  let  me  hear  the  sound 
of  your  voice  again!  Hetty!  dear  Hetty!" 

"I'm  here,  Judith — here  on  the  shore,  where  it  will  be 
useless  to  follow  me;  as  I  will  hide  in  the  woods." 

"Oh!  Hetty,  what  is't  you  do!  Remember  'tis  drawing 
near  midnight,  and  that  the  woods  are  filled  with  savages 
and  wild  beasts ! ' ' 

"Neither  will  harm  a  poor  half-witted  girl,  Judith. 
God  is  as  much  with  me  here  as  he  would  be  in  the  ark, 
or  in  the  hut.  I  am  going  to  help  my  father  and  poor 
Hurry  Harry,  who  will  be  tortured  and  slain,  unless  some 
one  cares  for  them." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  161 

"We  all  care  for  them,  and  intend  to-morrow  to  send 
them  a  flag  of  truce  to  buy  their  ransom.  Come  back 
then,  sister ;  trust  to  us,  who  have  better  heads  than  you, 
and  who  will  do  all  we  can  for  father." 

"I  know  your  head  is  better  than  mine,  Judith,  for 
mine  is  very  weak,  to  be  sure;  but  I  must  go  to  father 
and  poor  Hurry.  Do  you  and  Deerslayer  keep  the  castle, 
sister;  leave  me  in  the  hands  of  God." 

"God  is  with  us  all,  Hetty— in  the  castle,  or  on  the 
shore — father  as  well  as  ourselves;  and  it  is  sinful  not  to 
trust  to  his  goodness.  You  can  do  nothing  in  the  dark; 
will  lose  your  way  in  the  forest,  and  perish  for  want  of 
food." 

"Godwill  not  let  that  happen  to  a  poor  child  that  goes 
to  serve  her  father,  sister.  I  must  try  and  find  the 
savages. ' ' 

"Come  back,  for  this  night  only;  in  the  morning  we 
will  put  you  ashore,  and  leave  you  to  do  as  you  may  think 
right." 

"You  say  so,  Judith,  and  you  think  so;  but  you  would 
not.  Your  heart  would  soften,  and'you'd  see  tomahawks 
and  scalping  knives  in  the  air.  Besides,  I've  got  a  thing 
to  tell  the  Indian  chief  that  will  answer  all  our  wishes; 
and  I'm  afraid  I  may  forget  it  if  I  don't  tell  it  to  him  at 
once.  You'll  see  that  he  will  let  father  go  as  soon  as  he 
hears  it!" 

"Poor  Hetty!  What  can  you  say  to  a  ferocious  savage, 
that  will  be  likely  to  change  his  bloody  purpose!" 

"That  which  will  frighten  him,  and  make  him  let  father 
go,"  returned  the  simple-minded  girl  positively.  "You'll 
see,  sister;  you'll  see  how  soon  it  will  bring  him  to,  like 
a  gentle  child. ' ' 

"Will  you  tell  me,  Hetty,  what  you  intend  to  say?" 
asked  Deerslayer;  "I  know  the  savages  well,  and  can  form 
some  idee  how  far  fair  words  will  be  likely,  or  not,  to 
work  on  their  bloody  natur's.  If  it's  not  suited  to  the 
gifts  of  a  red-skin,  'twill  be  of  no  use;  for  reason  goes 
by  gifts,  as  well  as  conduct. ' ' 

"Well,  then,"  answered  Hetty,  dropping  her  voice  to  a 
low,  confidential  tone;  for  the  stillness  of  the  right  and 
the  nearness  of  the  ark  permitted  her  to  do  this,  and  still 
11 


162  THE  DEERSLAYER 

to  be  heard,  "well,  then,  Deerslayer,  as  you  seem  a  good 
and  honest  young  man,  I  will  tell  you.  I  mean  not  to  say 
a  word  to  any  of  the  savages  until  I  get  face  to  face  with 
their  head  chief,  let  them  plague  me  with  as  many  ques 
tions  as  they  please;  no — I'll  answer  none  of  them,  unless 
it  be  to  tell  them  to  lead  me  to  their  wisest  man.  Then, 
Deerslayer,  I'll  tell  him  that  God  will  not  forgive  murder 
and  thefts;  and  that  if  father  and  Hurry  did  go  after  the 
scalps  of  the  Iroquois,  he  must  return  good  for  evil,  for 
so  the  Bible  commands,  else  he  will  go  into  everlasting 
punishment.  When  he  hears  this,  and  feels  it  to  be  true, 
as  feel  it  he  must,  how  long  will  it  be  before  he  sends 
father,  and  Hurry,  and  me,  to  the  shore,  opposite  the 
castle;  telling  us  all  three  to  go  our  way  in  peace?" 

The  last  question  was  put  in  a  triumphant  manner;  and 
then  the  simple-minded  girl  laughed  at  the  impression 
she  never  doubted  that  her  project  had  made  on  her  audi 
tors.  Deerslayer  was  dumbfounded  at  this  proof  of 
guileless  feebleness  of  mind;  but  Judith  had  suddenly 
bethought  her  of  a  means  of  counteracting  this  wild 
project,  by  acting  on  the  very  feelings  that  had  given  it 
birth.  Without  adverting  to  the  closing  question,  or  the 
laugh,  therefore,  she  hurriedly  called  to  her  sister  by 
name,  as  one  suddenly  impressed  with  the  importance  of 
what  she  had  to  say.  But  no  answer  was  given  to  the  call. 

By  the  snapping  of  twigs,  and  the  rustling  of  leaves, 
Hetty  had  evidently  quitted  the  shore,  and  was  already 
burying  herself  in  the  forest.  To  follow  would  have  been 
fruitless,  since  the  darkness,  as  well  as  the  dense  cover 
that  the  woods  everywhere  afforded,  would  have  rendered 
her  capture  next  to  impossible;  and  there  was  also  the 
never-ceasing  danger  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  their 
enemies.  After  a  short  and  melancholy  discussion,  there 
fore,  the  sail  was  again  set,  and  the  ark  pursued  its  course 
towards  its  habitual  moorings;  Deerslayer  silently  felici 
tating  himself  on  the  recovery  of  the  canoe,  and  brooding 
over  his  plans  for  the  morrow.  The  wind  rose  as  the 
party  quitted  the  point,  and  in  less  than  an  hour  they 
reached  the  castle.  Here  all  was  found  as  it  had  been 
left;  and  the  reverse  of  the  ceremonies  had  to  be  taken  in 
entering  the  building,  that  had  been  used  on  quitting  it. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  163 

Judith  occupied  a  solitary  bed  that  night,  bedewing  the 
pillow  with  her  tears,  as  she  thought  of  the  innocent  and 
hitherto  neglected  creature,  who  had  been  her  companion 
from  childhood;  and  bitter  regrets  came  over  her  mind, 
from  more  causes  than  one,  as  the  weary  hours  passed 
away,  making  it  nearly  morning  before  she  lost  her  recol 
lection  in  sleep.  Deerslayer  and  the  Delaware  took  their 
rest  in  the  ark,  where  we  shall  leave  them  enjoying  the 
deep  sleep  of  the  honest,  the  healthful,  and  fearless,  to 
return  to  the  girl  we  have  last  seen  in  the  midst  of  the 
forest. 

When  Hetty  left  the  shore,  she  took  her  way  unhesi 
tatingly  into  the  woods  with  a  nervous  apprehension  of 
being  followed.  Luckily,  this  course  was  the  best  she 
could  have  hit  on  to  effect  her  own  purpose,  since  it  was 
the  only  one  that  led  her  from  the  point.  The  night  was 
so  intensely  dark,  beneath  the  branches  of  the  trees,  that 
her  progress  was  very  slow,  and  the  direction  she  went 
altogether  a  matter  of  chance,  after  the  first  few  yards. 
The  formation  of  the  ground,  however,  did  not  permit 
her  to  deviate  far  from  the  line  in  which  she  desired  to 
proceed.  On  one  hand,  it  was  soon  bounded  by  the  accliv 
ity  of  the  hill;  while  the  lake  on  the  other  served  as  a 
guide.  For  two  hours  did  this  single-hearted  and  simple- 
minded  girl  toil  through  the  mazes  of  the  forest;  some 
times  finding  herself  on  the  brow  of  the  bank  that  bounded 
the  water,  and  at  others  struggling  up  an  ascent  that 
warned  her  to  go  no  further  in  that  direction,  since  it 
necessarily  ran  at  right  angles  to  the  course  on  which  she 
wished  to  proceed.  Her  feet  often  slid  from  beneath  her, 
and  she  got  many  falls,  though  none  to  do  her  injury; 
but,  by  the  end  of  the  period  mentioned,  she  had  become 
so  weary  as  to  want  strength  to  go  any  further.  Rest 
was  indispensable;  and  she  set  about  preparing  a  bed, 
with  the  readiness  and  coolness  of  one  to  whom  the  wilder 
ness  presented  no  unnecessary  terrors.  She  knew  that 
wild  beasts  roamed  through  all  the  adjacent  forest,  but 
animals  that  preyed  on  the  human  species  were  rare,  and 
of  dangerous  serpents  there  were  literally  none.  These 
facts  had  been  taught  her  by  her  father;  and  whatever 
her  feeble  mind  received  at  all,  it  received  so  confidingly 


164  THE  DEERSLAYER 

as  to  leave  her  no  uneasiness  from  any  doubts  or  skepti 
cism.  To  her  the  sublimity  of  the  solitude  in  which  she 
was  placed  was  soothing  rather  than  appalling;  and  she 
gathered  a  bed  of  leaves,  with  as  much  indifference  to 
the  circumstances  that  would  have  driven  the  thoughts  of 
sleep  entirely  from  the  minds  of  most  of  her  sex,  as  if  she 
had  been  preparing  her  place  of  nightly  rest  beneath  the 
paternal  roof. 

As  soon  as  Hetty  had  collected  a  sufficient  number  of 
the  dried  leaves  to  protect  her  person  from  the  damps  of 
the  ground,  she  kneeled  beside  the  humble  pile,  clasped 
her  raised  hands  in  an  attitude  of  deep  devotion,  and  in  a 
soft,  low,  but  audible  voice,  repeated  the  Lord's  prayer. 
This  was  followed  by  those  simple  and  devout  verses,  so 
familiar  to  children,  in  which  she  recommended  her  soul 
to  God,  should  it  be  called  away  to  another  state  of  exis 
tence  ere  the  return  of  morning.  This  duty  done,  she  lay 
down  and  disposed  herself  to  sleep.  The  attire  of  the  girl, 
though  suited  to  the  season,  was  sufficiently  warm  for  all 
ordinary  purposes;  but  the  forest  is  ever  cool,  and  the 
nights  of  that  elevated  region  of  country  have  always  a 
freshness  about  them  that  renders  clothing  more  necessary 
than  is  commonly  the  case  in  the  summers  of  a  low  lati 
tude.  This  had  been  foreseen  by  Hetty,  who  had  brought 
with  her  a  coarse,  heavy  mantle,  which,  when  laid  over 
her  body,  answered  all  the  useful  purposes  of  a  blanket. 
Thus  protected,  she  dropped  asleep  in  a  few  minutes,  as 
tranquilly  as  if  watched  over  by  the  guardian  care  of  that 
mother  who  had  so  recently  been  taken  from  her  forever — 
affording,  in  this  particular,  a  most  striking  contrast  be 
tween  her  own  humble  couch  and  the  sleepless  pillow  of 
her  sister. 

Hour  passed  after  hour,  in  a  tranquillity  as  undistwrbed 
and  a  rest  as  sweet  as  if  angels,  expressly  commissioned 
for  that  object,  watched  around  the  bed  of  Hetty  Hutter. 
Not  once  did  her  soft  eyes  open,  until  the  gray  of  the 
dawn  came  struggling  through  the  tops  of  the  trees,  fall 
ing  on  their  lids,  and,  united  to  the  freshness  of  a  sum 
mer's  morning,  giving  the  usual  summons  to  awake. 
Ordinarily,  Hetty  was  up  ere  the  rays  of  the  sun  tipped 
the  summits  of  the  mountains;  but  on  this  occasion  her 


THE   DEERSLAYER  165 

fatigue  had  been  so  great,  and  her  rest  was  so  profound, 
that  the  customary  warnings  failed  of  their  effect.  The 
girl  murmured  in  her  sleep,  threw  an  arm  forward,  smiled 
as  gently  as  an  infant  in  its  cradle,  but  still  slumbered. 
In  making  this  unconscious  gesture,  her  hand  fell  on  some 
object  that  was  warm,  and,  in  the  half -conscious  state  in 
which  she  lay,  she  connected  the  circumstance  with  her 
habits.  At  the  next  moment,  a  rude  attack  was  made  on 
her  side,  as  if  a  rooting  animal  were  thrusting  its  snout 
beneath,  with  a  desire  to  force  her  position;  and  then, 
uttering  the  name  of  "Judith,"  she  awoke.  As  the 
startled  girl  arose  to  a  sitting  attitude,  she  perceived 
that  some  dark  object  sprang  from  her,  scattering  the 
leaves  and  snapping  the  fallen  twigs  in  its  haste.  Opening 
her  eyes,  and  recovering  from  the  first  confusion  and 
astonishment  of  her  situation,  Hetty  perceived  a  cub,  of 
the  common  American  brown  bear,  balancing  itself  on  its 
hinder  legs,  and  still  looking  towards  her,  as  if  doubtful 
whether  it  would  be  safe  to  trust  itself  near  her  person 
again.  The  first  impulse  of  Hetty,  who  had  been  mistress 
of  several  of  these  cubs,  was  to  run  and  seize  the  little 
creature  as  a  prize,  but  a  loud  growl  warned  her  of  the 
danger  of  such  a  procedure.  Recoiling  a  few  steps,  the 
girl  looked  hurriedly  round,  and  perceived  the  dam  watch 
ing  her  movements,  with  fiery  eyes,  at  no  great  distance. 
A  hollow  tree,  that  had  once  been  the  home  of  bees,  hav 
ing  recently  fallen,  the  mother,  with  two  more  cubs,  was 
feasting  on  the  dainty  food  that  this  accident  had  placed 
within  her  reach;  while  the  first  kept  a  jealous  eye  on  the 
situation  of  its  truant  and  reckless  young. 

It  would  exceed  all  the  means  of  human  knowledge  to 
pretend  to  analyze  the  influences  that  govern  the  acts  of 
the  lower  animals.  On  this  occasion,  the  dam,  though 
proverbially  fierce  when  its  young  is  thought  to  be  in 
danger,  manifested  no  intention  to  attack  the  girl.  It 
quitted  the  honey,  and  advanced  to  a  place  within  twenty 
feet  of  her,  where  it  raised  itself  on  its  hinder  legs,  and 
balanced  its  body  in  a  sort  of  angry,  growling  discontent, 
but  approached  no  nearer.  Happily,  Hetty  did  not  fly. 
On  the  contrary,  though  not  without  terror,  she  knelt 
with  her  face  towards  the  animal,  and  with  clasped  hands 


166  THE   DEERSLAYER 

and  uplifted  eyes,  repeated  the  prayer  of  the  previous 
night.  This  act  of  devotion  was  not  the  result  of  alarm; 
it  was  a  duty  she  never  neglected  to  perform  ere  she 
slept,  and  when  the  return  of  consciousness  awoke  her  to 
the  business  of  the  day.  As  the  girl  arose  from  her 
knees,  the  bear  dropped  on  its  feet  again,  and  collecting 
its  cubs  around  her,  permitted  them  to  draw  their  natural 
sustenance.  Hetty  was  delighted  with  this  proof  of  ten 
derness  in  an  animal  that  has  but  a  very  indifferent  repu 
tation  for  the  gentler  feelings;  and  as  a  cub  would  quit 
its  mother  to  frisk  and  leap  about  in  wantonness,  she  felt 
a  strong  desire  again  to  catch  it  up  in  her  arms,  and  play 
with  it.  But  admonished  by  the  growl,  she  had  self- 
command  sufficient  not  to  put  this  dangerous  project  in 
execution;  and  recollecting  her  errand  among  the  hills, 
she  tore  herself  away  from  the  group,  and  proceeded  on 
her  course,  along  the  margin  of  the  lake,  of  which  she  now 
caught  glimpses  again  through  the  trees.  To  her  surprise, 
though  not  to  her  alarm,  the  family  of  bears  arose  and 
followed  her  steps,  keeping  a  short  distance  behind  her, 
apparently  watching  every  movement,  as  if  they  had  a 
near  interest  in  all  she  did. 

In  this  manner,  escorted  by  the  dam  and  cubs,  the  girl 
proceeded  nearly  a  mile,  thrice  the  distance  she  had  been 
able  to  achieve  in  the  darkness  during  the  same  period  of 
time.  She  then  reached  a  brook  that  had  dug  a  channel 
for  itself  into  the  earth,  and  went  brawling  into  the  lake, 
between  steep  and  high  banks,  covered  with  trees.  Here 
Hetty  performed  her  ablutions;  then  drinking  of  the  pure 
mountain  water,  she  went  her  way,  refreshed  and  lighter 
of  heart,  still  attended  by  her  singular  companions.  Her 
course  now  lay  along  a  broad  and  nearly  level  terrace, 
which  stretched  from  the  top  of  the  bank  that  bounded 
the  water,  to  a  low  acclivity  that  rose  to  a  second  and 
irregular  platform  above.  This  was  at  a  part  of  the  valley 
where  the  mountains  ran  obliquely,  forming  the  com 
mencement  of  a  plain  that  spread  between  the  hills, 
southward  of  the  sheet  of  water.  Hetty  knew,  by  this 
circumstance,  that  she  was  getting  near  to  the  encamp 
ment,  and  had  she  not,  the  bears  would  have  given  her 
warning  of  the  vicinity  of  human  beings.  Snuffing  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  167 

air,  the  dam  refused  to  follow  any  further,  though  the 
girl  looked  back  and  invited  her  to  come  by  childish 
signs,  and  even  by  direct  appeals  made  in  her  own  sweet 
voice.  It  was  while  making  her  way  slowly  through  some 
bushes,  in  this  manner,  with  averted  face  and  eyes  riveted 
en  the  immovable  animals,  that  the  girl  suddenly  found 
her  steps  arrested  by  a  human  hand,  that  was  laid  lightly 
on  her  shoulder. 

"Where  go?"  said  a  soft  female  voice,  speaking  hur 
riedly,  and  in  concern.  "Indian — red-man — savage — 
wicked  wrrrior — that-a-way. ' ' 

This  unexpected  salutation  alarmed  the  girl  no  more 
than  the  presence  of  the  fierce  inhabitants  of  the  woods. 
It  took  her  a  little  by  surprise,  it  is  true,  but  she  was  in 
a  measure  prepared  for  some  such  meeting;  and  the 
creature  who  stopped  her,  was  as  little  likely  to  excite 
terror  as  any  who  ever  appeared  in  the  guise  of  an  Indian. 
It  was  a  girl  not  much  older  than  herself,  whose  smile 
was  sunny  as  Judith's  in  her  brightest  moments,  whose 
voice  was  melody  itself,  and  whose  accents  and  manner 
had  all  the  rebuked  gentleness  that  characterizes  the  sex 
among  a  people  who  habitually  treat  their  women  as  the 
attendants  and  servitors  of  the  warriors.  Beauty  among 
the  women  of  the  aboriginal  Americans,  before  they  have 
become  exposed  to  the  hardships  of  wives  and  mothers,  is 
by  no  means  uncommon.  In  this  particular,  the  original 
owners  of  the  country  were  not  unlike  their  more  civilized 
successors,  nature  appearing  to  have  bestowed  that  del 
icacy  of  mien  and  outline  that  forms  so  great  a  charm  in 
the  youthful  female,  but  of  which  they  are  so  early  de 
prived;  and  that,  too,  as  much  by  the  habits  of  domestic 
life  as  from  any  other  cause. 

The  girl  who  had  so  suddenly  arrested  the  steps  of 
Hetty,  was  dressed  in  a  calico  mantle,  that  effectually 
protected  all  the  upper  part  of  her  person,  while  a  short 
petticoat  of  blue  cloth  edged  with  gold  lace,  that  fell  no 
lower  than  her  knees,  leggings  of  the  same,  and  moccasins 
of  deerskin,  completed  her  attire.  Her  hair  fell  in  long 
dark  braids  down  her  shoulders  and  back,  and  was  parted 
above  a  low  smooth  forehead,  in  a  way  to  soften  the  ex 
pression  of  eyes  that  were  full  of  archness  and  natural 


168  THE   DEERSLAYER 

feelings.  Her  face  was  oval,  with  delicate  features;  the 
teeth  were  even  and  white;  while  the  mouth  expressed  a 
melancholy  tenderness  as  if  it  wore  this  peculiar  meaning 
in  intuitive  perception  of  the  fate  of  a  being  who  was 
doomed  from  birth  to  endure  a  woman's  sufferings,  re 
lieved  by  a  woman's  affections.  Her  voice,  as  has  been 
already  intimated,  was  soft  as  the  sighing  of  the  night 
air,  a  characteristic  of  the  females  of  her  race,  but  which 
was  so  conspicuous  in  herself  as  to  have  procured  for  her 
the  name  of  Wah-ta-Wah;  which  rendered  into  English 
means  Hist-oh-Hist. 

In  a  word,  this  was  the  betrothed  of  Chingachgook; 
who,  having  succeeded  in  lulling  their  suspicions,  was 
permitted  to  wander  around  the  encampment  of  her  cap 
tors.  This  indulgence  was  in  accordance  with  the  general 
policy  of  the  red  man,  who  well  knew,  moreover,  that  her 
trail  could  have  been  followed,  in  the  event  of  flight.  It 
will  also  be  remembered  that  the  Iroquois,  or  Hurons,  as 
it  would  be  better  to  call  them,  were  entirely  ignorant  of 
the  proximity  of  her  lover;  a  fact,  indeed,  that  she  did 
not  know  herself. 

It  is  not  easy  to  say  which  manifested  the  most  self- 
possession  at  this  unexpected  meeting;  the  pale  face  or 
the  red  girl.  But  though  little  surprised,  Wah-ta-Wah 
was  the  most  willing  to  speak,  and  far  the  readier  in 
foreseeing  consequences,  as  well  as  in  devising  means  to 
avert  them.  Her  father,  during  her  childhood,  had  been 
much  employed  as  a  warrior  by  the  authorities  of  the 
colony,  and  dwelling  for  several  years  near  the  forts,  she 
had  caught  a  knowledge  of  the  English  tongue,  which  she 
spoke  in  the  usual  abbreviated  manner  of  an  Indian,  but 
fluently,  and  without  any  of  the  ordinary  reluctance  of 
her  people. 

"Where  go?"  repeated  Wah-ta-Wah,  returning  the 
smile  of  Hetty,  in  her  own  gentle,  winning  manner; 
"wicked  warrior  that-a-way- — good  warrior  far  off." 

"What's  your  name?"  asked  Hetty,  with  the  simplicity 
of  a  child. 

'  'Wah-ta-Wah.  I  no  Mingo — good  Delaware — Yengeese 
friend.  Mingo  cruel,  and  love  scalp  for  blood — Delaware 
love  him  for  honor.  Come  here,  where  no  eyes." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  169 

Wah-ta-Wah  now  led  her  companion  towards  the  lake, 
descending  the  bank  so  as  to  place  its  overhanging  trees 
and  bushes  between  them  and  any  probable  observers;  nor 
did  she  stop  until  they  were  both  seated,  side  by  side,  on 
a  fallen  log,  one  end  of  which  actually  lay  buried  in  the 
water. 

"Why  you  come  for?"  the  young  Indian  eagerly  in 
quired;  "where  you  come  from?" 

Hetty  told  her  tale  in  her  own  simple  and  truth-loving 
manner.  She  explained  the  situation  of  her  father,  and 
stated  her  desire  to  serve  him,  and,  if  possible,  to  procure 
his  release. 

"Why  your  father  come  to  Mingo  camp  in  night?" 
asked  the  Indian  girl,  with  a  directness,  which,  if  not 
borrowed  from  the  other,  partook  largely  of  its  sincerity. 
"He  know  it  war-time,  and  he  no  boy — he  no  want  beard 
— no  want  to  be  told  Iroquois  carry  tomahawk,  and  knife, 
and  rifle.  Why  he  come  night  time,  seize  me  by  hair, 
and  try  to  scalp  Delaware  girl?" 

"You!"  said  Hetty,  almost  sickening  with  horror;  "did 
he  seize  you — did  he  try  to  scalp  you?" 

"Why  no?  Delaware  scalp  sell  for  much  as  Mingo 
scalp.  Governor  no  tell  difference.  Wicked  t'ing  for 
pale  face  to  scalp.  No  his  gifts,  as  the  good  Deerslayer 
always  tell  me. ' ' 

"And  do  you  know  the  Deerslayer?"  said  Hetty,  color 
ing  with  delight  and  surprise,  forgetting  her  regrets  at  the 
moment,  in  the  influence  of  this  new  feeling.  "I  know 
him,  too.  He  is  now  in  the  ark,  with  Judith,  and  a  Dela 
ware  who  is  called  the  Big  Serpent.  A  bold  and  handsome 
warrior  is  this  Serpent,  too!" 

Spite  of  the  rich  deep  color  that  nature  had  bestowed 
on  the  Indian  beauty,  the  tell-tale  blood  deepened  on  her 
cheeks,  until  the  blush  gave  new  animation  and  intelli 
gence  to  her  jet-black  eyes.  Raising  a  finger  in  an  attitude 
of  warning,  she  dropped  her  voice,  already  so  soft  and 
sweet,  nearly  to  a  whisper,  as  she  continued  the  discourse. 

"Chingachgook!"  returned  the  Delaware  girl,  sighing 
out  the  harsh  name,  in  sounds  so  softly  guttural  as  to 
cause  it  to  reach  the  ear  in  melody.  "His  father,  Uncas 
— great  chief  of  the  Mahicanni — next  to  old  Tamenund! 


170  THE   DEERSLAYER 

More  as  warrior,  not  so  much  gray  hair,  and  less  at  coun 
cil  fire.  You  know  Serpent?" 

"He  joined  us  last  evening,  and  was  in  the  ark  with  me 
for  two  or  three  hours  before  I  left  it.  I'm  afraid  Hist" 
— Hetty  could  not  pronounce  the  Indian  name  of  her  new 
friend,  but  having  heard  Deerslayergive  her  this  familiar 
appellation,  she  used  it  without  any  of  the  ceremony  of 
civilized  life — "I'm  afraid,  Hist,  he  has  come  after  scalps 
as  well  as  my  poor  father  and  Hurry  Harry ! ' ' 

"Why  he  shouldn't,  ha?  Chingachgook  red  warrior, 
very  red — scalp  make  his  honor — be  sure  he  take  him." 

"Then,"  said  Hetty,  earnestly,  "he  will  be  as  wicked 
as  any  other.  God  will  not  pardon  in  a  red  man  what  he 
will  not  pardon  in  a  white  man." 

"No  true,"  returned  the  Delaware  girl,  with  a  warmth 
that  nearly  amounted  to  passion;  "no  true,  I  tell  you! 
The  Manitou  smile  and  please  when  he  see  young  warrior 
come  back  from  the  war-path,  with  two,  ten,  hundred 
scalp  on  a  pole!  Chingachgook  father  take  scalp,  grand 
father  take  scalp — all  old  chief  take  scalp;  and  Chingach 
gook  take  as  many  scalp  as  he  can  carry,  himself!" 

"Then,  Hist,  his  sleep  of  nights  must  be  terrible  to 
think  of!  No  one  can  be  cruel  and  hope  to  be  forgiven." 

"No  cruel — plenty  forgiven,"  returned  Wah-ta-Wah, 
stamping  her  little  foot  on  the  stony  strand,  and  shaking 
her  head  in  a  way  to  show  how  completely  feminine  feel 
ing,  in  one  of  its  aspects,  had  got  the  better  of  feminine 
feeling  in  another.  "I  tell  you,  Serpent  brave;  he  go 
home  this  time  with  four,  yes,  two  scalp." 

"And  is  that  his  errand  here?  Did  he  really  come  all 
this  distance,  across  mountains  and  valleys,  rivers  and 
lakes,  to  torment  his  fellow-creatures,  and  do  so  wicked 
a  thing?" 

This  question  at  once  appeased  the  growing  ire  of  the 
half-offended  Indian  beauty.  It  completely  got  the  better 
of  the  prejudices  of  education,  and  turned  all  her  thoughts 
to  a  gentler  and  more  feminine  channel.  At  first,  she 
looked  around  her  suspiciously,  as  if  distrusting  eaves 
droppers;  then  she  gazed  wistfully  into  the  face  of  her 
attentive  companion;  after  which  this  exhibition  of  girl 
ish  coquetry  and  womanly  feeling  terminated  by  her  cover- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  171 

ing  her  face  with  both  her  hands,  and  laughing  in  a  strain 
that  might  well  be  termed  the  melody  of  the  woods.  Dread 
of  discovery,  however,  soon  put  a  stop  to  this  na'ive  exhi 
bition  of  feeling,  and  removing  her  hands,  this  creature 
of  impulses  gazed  again  wistfully  into  the  face  of  her 
companion,  as  if  inquiring  how  far  she  might  trust  a 
stranger  with  her  secret.  Although  Hetty  had  no  claim 
to  her  sister's  extraordinary  beauty,  many  thought  her 
countenance  the  most  winning  of  the  two.  It  expressed 
all  the  undisguised  sincerity  of  her  character,  and  it  was 
totally  free  from  any  of  the  unpleasant  physical  accom 
paniments  that  so  frequently  attend  mental  imbecility.  It 
is  true  that  one  accustomed  to  closer  observation  than 
common  might  have  detected  the  proofs  of  her  feebleness 
of  intellect  in  the  language  of  her  sometimes  vacant  eyes; 
but  they  were  signs  that  attracted  sympathy  by  their  total 
want  of  guile,  rather  than  by  any  other  feeling.  The 
effect  on  Hist,  to  use  the  English  and  more  familiar 
translation  of  the  name,  was  favorable;  and  yielding  to 
an  impulse  of  tenderness  she  threw  her  arms  around 
Hetty,  and  embraced  her  with  an  outpouring  emotion  so 
natural  that  it  was  only  equaled  by  its  warmth. 

"You  good,"  whispered  the  young  Indian;  "you  good, 
I  know;  it's  so  long  since  Wah-ta-Wah  have  a  friend — a 
sister — anybody  to  speak  her  heart  to!  you  Hist  friend; 
don't  I  say  trut'?" 

"I  never  had  a  friend,"  answered  Hetty,  returning 
the  warm  embrace  with  unfeigned  earnestness;  "I've  a 
sister,  but  no  friend.  Judith  loves  me,  and  I  love  Judith; 
but  that's  natural,  and  as  we  are  taught  in  the  Bible;  but 
I  should  like  to  have  a  friend!  I'll  be  your  friend,  with 
all  my  heart;  for  I  like  your  voice,  and  your  smile,  and 
your  way  of  thinking  in  everything  except  about  the 
scalps — 

"No  t'ink  more  of  him — no  say  more  of  scalp,"  inter 
rupted  Hist,  soothingly;  "you  pale  face,  I  red-skin;  we 
bring  up  different  fashion.  Deerslayer  and  Chingachgook 
great  friend,  and  no  the  same  color;  Hist  and — what  your 
name,  pretty  pale  face?" 

"I  am  called  Hetty,  though  when  they  spell  the  name 
in  the  Bible,  they  always  spell  it  Esther. ' ' 


172  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"What  that  make?  no  good,  no  harm.  No  need  to  spell 
name  at  all.  Moravian  try  to  make  Wah-ta-Wah  spell, 
but  no  won't  let  him.  No  good  for  Delaware  girl  to 
know  too  much — know  more  than  warrior  some  time;  that 
great  shame.  My  name  Wah-ta-Wah — that  say  Hist  in 
your  tongue;  you  call  him,  Hist — I  call  him,  Hetty." 

These  preliminaries  settled  to  their  mutual  satisfaction, 
the  two  girls  began  to  discourse  of  their  several  hopes  and 
projects.  Hetty  made  her  new  friend  more  fully  ac 
quainted  with  her  intentions  in  behalf  of  her  father;  and, 
to  one  in  the  least  addicted  to  prying  into  the  affairs  of 
others,  Hist  would  have  betrayed  her  own  feelings  and 
expectations  in  connection  with  the  young  warrior  of  her 
own  tribe.  Enough  was  revealed  on  both  sides,  however, 
to  let  each  party  get  a  tolerable  insight  into  the  views  of 
the  other,  though  enough  still  remained  in  mental  reser 
vation,  to  give  rise  to  the  following  questions  and  answers, 
with  which  the  interview  in  effect  closed.  As  the  quickest- 
witted,  Hist  was  the  first  with  her  interrogatories. 
Folding  an  arm  about  the  waist  of  Hetty,  she  bent  her 
head  so  as  to  look  up  playfully  into  the  face  of  the  other; 
and,  laughing,  as  if  her  meaning  were  to  be  extracted 
from  her  looks,  she  spoke  more  plainly. 

"Hetty  got  broder,  as  well  as  fader?"  she  said;  "why 
no  talk  of  broder  as  well  as  fader?" 

"I  have  no  brother,  Hist.  I  had  one  once,  they  say; 
but  he  is  dead  many  a  year,  and  lies  buried  in  the  lake 
by  the  side  of  mother. ' ' 

"No  got  broder — got  a  young  warrior;  love  him  almost 
as  much  as  fader,  eh?  Very  handsome  and  brave-looking; 
fit  to  be  chief  if  he  good  as  he  seem  to  be. ' ' 

"It's  wicked  to  love  any  man  as  well  as  I  love  my  father, 
and  so  I  strive  not  to  do  it,  Hist,"  returned  the  consci 
entious  Hetty,  who  knew  not  how  to  conceal  an  emotion  by 
an  approach  to  an  untruth  as  venial  as  an  evasion,  though 
powerfully  tempted  by  female  shame  to  err;  "though  I 
sometimes  think  that  wickedness  will  get  the  better  of 
me,  if  Hurry  comes  so  often  to  the  lake.  I  must  tell  you 
the  truth,  dear  Hist,  because  you  ask  me;  but  I  should 
fall  down  and  die  in  the  woods,  if  he  knew  it." 

"Why  he  no  ask  you,  himself?     Brave-looking — why 


THE   DEERSLAYER  173 

not  bold-speaking?  Young  warrior  ought  to  ask  young 
girl;  no  make  young  girl  speak  first.  Mingo  girls  too 
shame  for  that." 

This  was  said  indignantly,  and  with  the  generous  warmth 
a  young  female  of  spirit  would  be  apt  to  feel  at  what  she 
deemed  an  invasion  of  her  sex's  most  valued  privilege.  It 
had  little  influence  on  the  simple-minded,  but  also  just- 
minded  Hetty;  who,  though  inherently  feminine  in  all  her 
impulses,  was  much  more  alive  to  the  workings  of  her  own 
heart,  than  to  any  of  the  usages  with  which  convention 
has  protected  the  sensitiveness  of  her  sex. 

"Ask  me  what?"  the  startled  girl  demanded,  with  a 
suddenness  that  proved  how  completely  her  fears  had  been 
aroused.  "Ask  me  if  I  like  him  as  well  as  I  do  my  own 
father!  Oh,  I  hope  he  will  never  put  such  a  question  to 
me,  for  I  should  have  to  answer,  and  that  would  kill  me!" 

"No — no — no  kill,  quite  almost,"  returned  the  other, 
laughing  in  spite  of  herself.  "Make  blush  come — make 
shame  come,  too;  but  he  no  stay  great  while;  then  feel 
happier  than  ever.  Young  warrior  must  tell  young  girl 
he  want  to  make  wife,  else  never  can  live  in  his  wigwam." 

"Hurry  don't  want  to  marry  me — nobody  will  ever 
want  to  marry  me,  Hist." 

"How  you  can  know?  P'r'aps  everybody  want  to  marry 
you,  and  by-and-by  tongue  say  what  heart  feel.  Why 
nobody  want  to  marry  you?" 

"I  am  not  full-witted,  they  say.  Father  often  tells  me 
this;  and  so  does  Judith  sometimes,  when  she  is  vexed; 
but  I  shouldn't  so  much  mind  them  as  I  did  mother.  She 
said  so  once;  and  then  she  cried  as  if  her  heart  would 
break;  and  so  I  know  I'm  not  full-witted." 

Hist  gazed  at  the  gentle,  simple  girl  for  quite  a  minute, 
witnout  speaking;  when  the  truth  appeared  to  flash  all 
at  once  on  the  mind  of  the  young  Indian  maid.  Pity, 
reverence,  and  tenderness  seemed  struggling  together  in 
her  breast;  then,  rising  suddenly,  she  indicated  a  wish  to 
her  companion  that  she  would  accompany  her  to  the  camp, 
which  was  situated  at  no  great  distance.  This  unexpected 
change,  from  the  precaution  that  Hist  had  previously 
manifested  a  desire  to  use  in  order  to  prevent  being  seen, 
to  an  open  exposure  of  the  person  of  her  friend,  arose 


174  THE   DEERSLAYER 

from  the  perfect  conviction  that  no  Indian  would  harm  a 
being  whom  the  Great  Spirit  had  disarmed,  by  depriving 
it  of  its  strongest  defense,  reason.  In  this  respect,  nearly 
all  unsophisticated  nations  resemble  each  other;  appear 
ing  to  offer  spontaneously,  by  a  feeling  creditable  to  hu 
man  nature,  that  protection  by  their  own  forbearance 
which  has  been  withheld  by  the  inscrutable  wisdom  of 
Providence.  Wah-ta-Wah,  indeed,  knew  that  in  many 
tribes  the  mentally  imbecile  and  the  mad  were  held  in  a 
species  of  religious  reverence,  receiving  from  the  untu 
tored  inhabitants  of  the  forest  respect  and  honors,  instead 
of  the  contumely  and  neglect  that  it  is  their  fortune  to 
meet  with  among  the  more  pretending  and  sophisticated. 

Hetty  accompanied  her  new  friend  without  apprehen 
sion  or  reluctance.  It  was  her  wish  to  reach  the  camp; 
and,  sustained  by  her  motives,  she  felt  no  more  concern 
for  the  consequences  than  did  her  companion  herself, 
now  the  latter  was  apprised  of  the  character  of  the  pro 
tection  that  the  pale-face  maiden  carried  with  her.  Still, 
as  they  proceeded  slowly  along  a  shore  that  was  tangled 
with  overhanging  bushes,  Hetty  continued  the  discourse, 
assuming  the  office  of  interrogating,  which  the  other  had 
instantly  dropped  as  soon  as  she  ascertained  the  character 
of  the  mind  to  which  her  question  had  been  addressed. 

"But  you  are  not  half-witted,"  said  Hetty;  "and  there's 
no  reason  why  the  Serpent  should  not  marry  you. ' ' 

"Hist  prisoner,  and  Mingo  got  big  ear.  No  speak  of 
Chingachgook  when  they  by.  Promise  Hist  that,  good 
Hetty." 

"I  know — I  know,"  returned  Hetty,  half -whispering 
in  her  eagerness  to  let  the  other  see  she  understood  the 
necessity  of  caution.  "I  know — Deerslayer  and  the  Ser 
pent  mean  to  get  you  away  from  the  Iroquois;  and  you 
wish  me  not  to  tell  the  secret." 

"How  you  know?"  said  Hist,  hastily,  vexed  at  the 
moment  that  the  other  was  not  even  more  feeble-minded 
than  was  actually  the  case.  "How you  know?  Better  not 
talk  of  any  but  fader  and  Hurry;  Mingo  understand  dat; 
he  no  understand  t' udder.  Promise  you  no  talk  about 
what  you  no  understand." 

"But  I  do  understand  this,  Hist;  and  so  I  must  talk 


THE   DEERSLAYER  175 

about  it.  Deerslayer  as  good  as  told  father  all  about  it, 
in  my  presence;  and  as  nobody  told  me  not  to  listen,  I 
overheard  it  all,  as  I  did  Hurry  and  father's  discourse 
about  the  scalps." 

"Very  bad  for  pale  face  to  talk  about  scalps,  and  very 
bad  for  young  woman  to  hear!  Now  you  love  Hist,  I 
know,  Hetty,  and  so,  among  Injins,  when  love  hardest 
never  talk  most. ' ' 

"That's  not  the  way  among  white  people,  who  talk  most 
about  them  they  love  best.  I  suppose  it's  because  I'm 
only  half-witted  that  I  don't  see  the  reason  why  it  should 
be  so  different  among  red  people." 

"That  what  Deerslayer  call  gift.  One  gift  to  talk, 
t'udder  gift  to  hold  tongue.  Hold  tongue  your  gift, 
among  Mingoes.  If  Serpent  want  to  see  Hist,  so  Hetty 
want  to  see  Hurry.  Good  girl  never  tell  secret  of  friend." 

Hetty  understood  this  appeal;  and  she  promised  the 
Delaware  girl  not  to  make  any  allusion  to  the  presence  of 
Chingachgook,  or  to  the  motive  of  his  visit  to  the  lake. 

"Maybe  he  get  off  Hurry  and  fader,  as  well  as  Hist,  if 
let  him  have  his  way,"  whispered  Wah-ta-Wah  to  her 
companion,  in  a  confiding,  flattering  way,  just  as  they 
got  near  enough  to  the  encampment  to  hear  the  voices  of 
several  of  their  own  sex,  who  were  apparently  occupied 
in  the  usual  toils  of  women  of  their  class.  "T'ink  of  dat, 
Hetty,  and  put  two,  twenty  finger  on  mouth.  No  get 
friends  free  without  Serpent  do  it." 

A  better  expedient  could  not  have  been  adopted  to  se 
cure  the  silence  and  discretion  of  Hetty,  than  that  which 
was  now  presented  to  her  mind.  As  the  liberation  of  her 
father  and  the  young  frontiersman  was  the  great  object 
of  her  adventure,  she  felt  the  connection  between  it  and 
the  services  of  the  Delaware;  and  with  an  innocent  laugh, 
she  nodded  her  head,  and  in  the  same  suppressed  manner 
promised  a  due  attention  to  the  wishes  of  her  friend. 
Thus  assured,  Hist  tarried  no  longer,  but  immediately  and 
openly  led  the  way  into  the  encampment  of  her  captors. 


CHAPTER  XI 

"  The  great  King  of  kings 
Hath  in  the  table  of  his  law  commanded, 
That  thou  shalt  do  no  murder, 
Take  heed  ;  for  he  holds  vengeance  in  his  hand, 
To  hurl  upon  their  heads  that  break  his  law.  " 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

THAT  the  party  to  which  Hist  compulsorily  belonged 
was  not  one  that  was  regularly  on  the  warpath  was  evident 
by  the  presence  of  females.  It  was  a  small  fragment  of 
a  tribe  that  had  been  hunting  and  fishing  within  the 
English  limits,  where  it  was  found  by  the  commencement 
of  hostilities,  and,  after  passing  the  winter  and  spring  by 
living  on  what  was  strictly  the  property  of  its  enemies,  it 
chose  to  strike  a  hostile  blow  before  it  finally  retired. 
There  was  also  deep  Indian  sagacity  in  the  maneuver 
which  had  led  them  so  far  into  the  territory  of  their  foes. 
When  the  runner  arrived  who  announced  the  breaking  out 
of  hostilities  between  the  English  and  French — a  struggle 
that  was  certain  to  carry  with  it  all  the  tribes  that  dwelt 
within  the  influence  of  the  respective  belligerents — this 
particular  party  of  the  Iroquois  were  posted  on  the  shores 
of  the  Oneida,  a  lake  that  lies  some  fifty  miles  nearer  to 
their  own  frontier  than  that  which  is  the  scene  of  our 
tale.  To  have  fled  in  a  direct  line  for  the  Canadas  would 
have  exposed  them  to  the  dangers  of  a  direct  pursuit; 
and  the  chiefs  had  determined  to  adopt  the  expedient  of 
penetrating  deeper  into  a  region  that  had  now  become 
dangerous,  in  the  hope  of  being  able  to  retire  in  the  rear 
of  their  pursuers,  instead  of  having  them  on  their  trail. 
The  presence  of  the  women  had  induced  the  attempt  at 
this  ruse,  the  strength  of  these  feebler  members  of  the 
party  being  unequal  to  the  effort  of  escaping  from  the 
pursuit  of  warriors.  When  the  reader  remembers  the 
vast  extent  of  the  American  wilderness  at  that  early  day, 
he  will  perceive  that  it  was  possible  for  even  a  tribe  to 

176 


THE   DEERSLAYER  177 

remain  months  undiscovered  in  particular  portions  of  it, 
nor  was  the  danger  of  encountering  a  foe,  the  usual  pre 
cautions  being  observed,  as  great  in  the  woods  as  it  is  on 
the  high  seas  in  a  time  of  active  warfare. 

The  encampment  being  temporary,  it  offered  to  the  eye 
no  more  than  the  rude  protection  of  a  bivouac,  relieved 
in  some  slight  degree  by  the  ingenious  expedients  which 
suggested  themselves  to  the  readiness  of  those  who  passed 
their  lives  amid  similar  scenes.  One  fire,  that  had  been 
kindled  against  the  roots  of  a  living  oak,  sufficed  for  the 
whole  party,  the  weather  being  too  mild  to  require  it  for 
any  purpose  but  cooking.  Scattered  around  this  center  of 
attraction  were  some  fifteen  or  twenty  low  huts— perhaps 
kennels  would  be  a  better  word — into  which  their  differ 
ent  owners  crept  at  night,  and  which  were  also  intended 
to  meet  the  exigencies  of  a  storm.  These  little  huts  were 
made  of  the  branches  of  trees,  put  together  with  some 
ingenuity,  and  they  were  uniformly  topped  with  bark 
that  had  been  stripped  from  fallen  trees,  of  which  every 
virgin  forest  possesses  hundreds,  in  all  stages  of  decay. 
Of  furniture,  they  had  next  to  none.  Cooking  utensils  of 
the  simplest  sort  were  lying  near  the  fire;  a  few  articles 
of  clothing  were  to  be  seen  in  or  around  the  huts;  rifles, 
horns,  and  pouches  leaned  against  the  trees,  or  were  sus 
pended  from  the  lower  branches;  and  the  carcasses  of  two 
or  three  deer  were  stretched  to  view  on  the  same  natural 
shambles. 

As  the  encampment  was  in  the  midst  of  a  dense  wood, 
the  eye  could  not  take  in  its  tout  ensemble  at  a  glance; 
but  hut  after  hut  started  out  of  the  gloomy  picture,  as 
one  gazed  about  him  in  quest  of  objects.  There  was  no 
center,  unless  the  fire  might  be  so  considered — no  open 
area  where  the  possessors  of  this  rude  village  might  con 
gregate;  but  all  was  dark,  covert,  and  cunning,  like  its 
owners.  A  few  children  strayed  from  hut  to  hut,  giving 
the  spot  a  little  the  air  of  domestic  life;  and  the  sup 
pressed  laugh  and  low  voices  of  the  women  occasionally 
broke  in  upon  the  deep  stillness  of  the  somber  forest.  As 
for  the  men,  they  either  ate,  slept,  or  examined  their 
arms.  They  conversed  but  little,  and  then  usually  apart, 
or  in  groups  withdrawn  from  the  females,  whilst  an  air 
12 


178  THE   DEERSLAYER 

of  untiring,  innate   watchfulness   and    apprehension   of 
danger  seemed  to  be  blended  even  with  their  slumbers. 

As  the  two  girls  came  near  the  encampment,  Hetty 
uttered  a  slight  exclamation  on  catching  a  view  of  the 
person  of  her  father.  He  was  seated  on  the  ground,  with 
his  back  to  a  tree,  and  Hurry  stood  near  him,  indolently 
whittling  a  twig.  Apparently,  they  were  as  much  at  lib 
erty  as  any  others  in  or  about  the  camp;  and  one  unac 
customed  to  Indian  usages  would  have  mistaken  them  for 
visitors,  instead  of  supposing  them  to  be  captives.  Wah- 
ta-Wah  led  her  new  friend  quite  near  them,  and  then 
modestly  withdrew,  that  her  own  presence  might  be  no 
restraint  on  her  feelings.  But  Hetty  was  not  sufficiently 
familiar  with  caresses  or  outward  demonstrations  of  fond 
ness,  to  indulge  in  any  outbreaking  of  feeling.  She  merely 
approached  and  stood  at  her  father's  side  without  speak 
ing,  resembling  a  silent  statue  of  filial  affection.  The  old 
man  expressed  neither  alarm  nor  surprise  at  her  sudden 
appearance.  In  these  particulars  he  had  caught  the  stoi 
cism  of  the  Indians;  well  knowing  that  there  was  no  more 
certain  mode  of  securing  their  respect  than  by  imitating 
their  self-command.  Nor  did  the  savages  themselves  be 
tray  the  least  sign  of  surprise  at  this  sudden  appearance 
of  a  stranger  among  them.  In  a  word,  this  arrival  pro 
duced  much  less  visible  sensation,  though  occurring  under 
circumstances  so  peculiar,  than  would  be  seen  in  a  village 
of  higher  pretensions  to  civilization,  did  an  ordinary 
traveler  drive  up  to  the  door  of  its  principal  inn.  Still, 
a  few  warriors  collected,  and  it  was  evident,  by  the  man 
ner  in  which  they  glanced  at  Hetty  as  they  conversed  to 
gether,  that  she  was  the  subject  of  their  discourse,  and 
probable  that  the  reasons  of  her  unlooked-for  appearance 
were  matters  of  discussion.  This  phlegm  of  manner  is 
characteristic  of  the  North  American  Indian — some  say  of 
his  white  successor  also;  but,  in  this  case,  much  should 
be  attributed  to  the  peculiar  situation  in  which  the  party 
was  placed.  The  force  in  the  ark,  the  presence  of  Chin- 
gachgook  excepted,  was  well  known,  no  tribe  or  body  of 
troops  was  believed  to  be  near,  and  vigilant  eyes  were 
posted  round  the  entire  lake,  watching,  day  and  night, 
the  slightest  movement  of  those  whom  it  would  not  be 
exaggerated  now  to  term  the  besieged. 


THE   DEERSLAYER 

Hutter  was  inwardly  much  moved  by  the  conduct  of 
Hetty,  though  he  affected  so  much  indifference  of  man 
ner.  He  recollected  her  gentle  appeal  to  him  before  he 
left  the  ark,  and  misfortune  rendered  that  of  weight 
which  might  have  been  forgotten  amid  the  triumph  of 
success.  Then  he  knew  the  simple,  single-hearted  fidelity 
of  his  child,  and  understood  why  she  had  come,  and  the 
total  disregard  of  self  that  reigned  in  all  her  acts. 

"This  is  not  well,  Hetty,"  he  said,  deprecating  the 
consequences  to  the  girl  herself  more  than  any  other  evil. 
"These  are  fierce  Iroquois,  and  are  as  little  apt  to  forget 
an  injury  as  a  favor. ' ' 

"Tell  me,  father,"  returned  the  girl,  looking  furtively 
about  her,  as  if  fearful  of  being  overheard,  "did  God  let 
you  do  the  cruel  errand  on  which  you  came?  I  want  much 
to  know  this,  that  I  may  speak  to  the  Indians  plainly  if  he 
did  not." 

"You  should  not  have  come  hither,  Hetty;  these  brutes 
will  not  understand  your  nature  or  your  intentions!" 

"How  was  it,  father?  neither  you  nor  Hurry  seems  to 
have  anything  that  looks  like  scalps." 

"If  that  will  set  your  mind  at  peace,  child,  I  can  answer 
you,  no.  I  had  caught  the  young  creatur'  who  came  here 
with  you,  but  her  screeches  soon  brought  down  upon  me 
a  troop  of  the  wild  cats  that  was  too  much  for  any  single 
Christian  to  withstand.  If  that  will  do  you  any  good, 
we  are  as  innocent  of  having  taken  a  scalp  this  time  as  I 
make  no  doubt  we  shall  also  be  innocent  of  receiving 
the  bounty." 

"Thank  you  for  that,  father!  Now  I  can  speak  boldly 
to  the  Iroquois,  and  with  an  easy  conscience.  I  hope 
Hurry,  too,  has  not  been  able  to  harm  any  of  the  Indians?" 

"Why,  as  to  that  matter,  Hetty, "  returned  the  individ 
ual  in  question,  "you've  put  it  pretty  much  in  thenatyve 
character  of  the  religious  truth.  Hurry  has  not  been  able, 
and  that  is  the  long  and  short  of  it.  I've  seen  many 
squalls,  old  fellow,  both  on  land  and  on  the  water,  but 
never  did  I  feel  one  as  lively  and  as  snappish  as  that  which 
come  down  upon  us  night  afore  last,  in  the  shape  of  an 
Indian  hurrah  boys!  Why,  Hetty,  you're  no  great  matter 
at  a  reason  or  an  idee  that  lies  a  little  deeper  than  com- 


180  THE   DEERSLAYER 

mon,  but  you're  human  and  have  some  human  notions; 
now  I'll  just  ask  you  to  look  at  these  circumstances.  Here 
was  old  Tom,  your  father,  and  myself  bent  on  a  legal 
operation,  as  is  to  be  seen  in  the  words  of  the  law  and 
the  proclamation,  thinking  no  harm,  when  we  were  set 
upon  by  critters  that  were  more  like  a  pack  of  hungry 
wolves  than  mortal  savages  even,  and  there  they  had  us 
tethered  like  two  sheep  in  less  time  than  it  has  taken  me 
to  tell  you  the  story. ' ' 

"You  are  free,  now,  Hurry,"  returned  Hetty,  glancing 
timidly  at  the  fine,  unfettered  limbs  of  the  young  giant. 
"You  have  no  cords  or  withes  to  pain  your  arms  or  legs 
now. ' ' 

"Not  I,  Hetty.  Natur'  is  natur',  and  freedom  isnatur', 
too.  My  limbs  have  a  free  look,  but  that's  pretty  much 
the  amount  of  it,  sin'  I  can't  use  them  in  the  way  I  should 
like.  Even  these  trees  have  eyes,  ay,  and  tongues,  too; 
for,  was  the  old  man  here,  or  I,  to  start  one  single  rod 
beyond  our  jail  limits,  sarvice  would  be  put  on  the  bail 
afore  we  could  'gird  up  our  loins'  for  a  race;  and  like  as 
not,  four  or  five  rifle  bullets  would  be  traveling  arter  us, 
carrying  so  many  invitations  to  curb  our  impatience. 
There  isn't  a  jail  in  the  colony  as  tight  as  this  we  are 
now  in;  for  I've  tried  the  vartue  of  two  or  three  on  'em, 
and  I  know  the  mater 'als  they  are  made  of,  as  well  as  the 
men  that  made  'em,  takin'  down  being  the  next  step  in 
schoolin'  to  puttin'  up,  in  all  such  fabrications." 

Lest  the  reader  should  get  an  exaggerated  opinion  of 
Hurry's  demerits  from  this  boastful  and  indiscreet  reve 
lation,  it  may  be  well  to  say  that  his  offenses  were  con 
fined  to  assaults  and  batteries,  for  several  of  which  he  had 
been  imprisoned,  when,  as  he  has  just  said,  he  often 
escaped  by  demonstrating  the  flimsiness  of  the  construc 
tions  in  which  he  was  confined,  by  opening  for  himself 
doors  in  spots  where  the  architects  had  neglected  to  place 
them.  But  Hetty  had  no  knowledge  of  jails,  and  little  of 
the  nature  of  crime,  beyond  what  her  unadulterated  and 
almost  instinctive  perceptions  of  right  and  wrong  taught 
her,  and  this  sally  of  the  rude  being  who  had  spoken  was 
lost  upon  her.  She  understood  his  general  meaning,  how 
ever,  and  answered  in  reference  to  that  alone. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  181 

"It's  so  best,  Hurry,"  she  said.  "It  is  best  father  and 
you  should  be  quiet  and  peaceable  till  I  have  spoken  to 
the  Iroquois,  when  all  will  be  well  and  happy.  I  don't 
wish  either  of  you  to  follow,  but  leave  me  to  myself.  As 
soon  as  all  is  settled,  and  you  are  at  liberty  to  go  back  to 
the  castle,  I  will  come  and  let  you  know  it." 

Hetty  spoke  with  so  much  simple  earnestness,  seemed  so 
confident  of  success,  and  wore  so  high  an  air  of  moral 
feeling  and  truth,  that  both  the  listeners  felt  more  dis 
posed  to  attach  an  importance  to  her  mediation  than 
might  otherwise  have  happened.  When  she  manifested 
an  intention  to  quit  them,  therefore,  they  offered  no  ob 
stacle,  though  they  saw  she  was  about  to  join  the  group 
of  chiefs  who  were  consulting  apart,  seemingly  on  the 
manner  and  motive  of  her  own  sudden  appearance. 

When  Hist — for  so  we  love  best  to  call  her — quitted 
her  companion,  she  strayed  near  one  or  two  of  the  elder 
warriors,  who  had  shown  her  most  kindness  in  her  cap 
tivity — the  principal  man  of  whom  had  even  offered  to 
adopt  her  as  his  child,  if  she  would  consent  to  become  a 
Huron.  In  taking  this  direction  the  shrewd  girl  did  so 
to  invite  inquiry.  She  was  too  well  trained  in  the  habits 
of  her  people  to  obtrude  the  opinions  of  one  of  her  sex 
and  years  on  men  and  warriors;  but  nature  had  furnished 
a  tact  and  ingenuity  that  enabled  her  to  attract  the  atten 
tion  she  desired,  without  wrounding  the  pride  of  those 
whom  it  was  her  duty  to  defer  to  and  respect.  Even  her 
affected  indifference  stimulated  curiosity;  and  Hetty  had 
hardly  reached  the  side  of  her  father  before  the  Delaware 
girl  was  brought  within  the  circle  of  the  warriors  by  a 
secret  but  significant  gesture.  Here  she  was  questioned 
as  to  the  presence  of  her  companion,  and  the  motives  that 
had  brought  her  to  the  camp.  This  was  all  that  Hist  de 
sired.  She  explained  the  manner  in  which  she  had  de 
tected  the  weakness  of  Hetty's  reason,  rather  exaggerating 
than  lessening  the  deficiency  in  her  intellect;  and  then 
she  related  in  general  terms  the  object  of  the  girl  in  ven 
turing  among  her  enemies.  The  effect  was  all  that  the 
speaker  expected;  her  account  investing  the  person  and 
character  of  their  visitor  with  a  sacredness  and  respect 
that  she  well  knew  would  prove  her  protection.  As  soon 


182  THE   DEERSLAYER 

as  her  own  purpose  was  attained,  Hist  withdrew  to  a 
distance,  where,  with  female  consideration  and  a  sisterly 
tenderness,  she  set  about  the  preparation  of  a  meal,  to 
be  offered  to  her  new  friend  as  soon  as  the  latter  might 
be  at  liberty  to  partake  of  it.  While  thus  occupied,  how 
ever,  the  ready  girl  in  no  degree  relaxed  in  her  watch 
fulness,  noting  every  change  of  countenance  among  the 
chiefs,  every  movement  of  Hetty,  and  the  smaller  occur 
rences  that  could  be  likely  to  affect  her  own  interests  or 
that  of  her  new  friend. 

As  Hetty  approached  the  chiefs,  they  opened  their  little 
circle  with  an  ease  and  deference  of  manner  that  would 
have  done  credit  to  men  of  more  courtly  origin.  A  fallen 
tree  lay  near,  and  the  oldest  of  the  warriors  made  a  quiet 
sign  for  the  girl  to  be  seated  on  it,  taking  his  place  at 
her  side  with  the  gentleness  of  a  father.  The  others  ar 
ranged  themselves  around  the  two  with  grave  dignity; 
and  then  the  girl,  who  had  sufficient  observation  to  per 
ceive  that  such  a  course  was  expected  of  her,  began  to 
reveal  the  object  of  her  visit.  The  moment  she  opened 
her  mouth  to  speak,  however,  the  old  chief  gave  a  gentle 
sign  for  her  to  forbear,  said  a  few  words  to  one  of  his 
juniors,  and  then  waited  in  silent  patience  until  the  lat 
ter  had  summoned  Hist  to  the  party.  This  interruption 
proceeded  from  the  chief  having  discovered  that  there 
existed  a  necessity  for  an  interpreter;  few  of  the  Hurons 
present  understanding  the  English  language,  and  they  but 
imperfectly. 

Wah-ta-Wah  was  not  sorry  to  be  called  upon  to  be 
present  at  the  interview,  and  least  of  all  in  the  character 
in  which  she  was  now  wanted.  She  was  aware  of  the 
hazards  she  ran  in  attempting  to  deceive  one  or  two  of 
the  party;  but  was  none  the  less  resolved  to  use  every 
means  that  offered,  and  to  practise  every  artifice  that  an 
Indian  education  could  supply,  to  conceal  the  facts  of  the 
vicinity  of  her  betrothed,  and  of  the  errand  on  which  he 
had  come.  One  unpractised  in  the  expedients  and  opinions 
of  savage  life  would  not  have  suspected  the  readiness  of 
invention,  the  wariness  of  action,  the  high  resolution, 
the  noble  impulses,  the  deep  self-devotion,  and  the  femi 
nine  disregard  of  self,  where  the  affections  were  con- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  183 

cerned,  that  lay  concealed  beneath  the  demure  looks,  the 
mild  eyes,  and  the  sunny  smiles  of  this  young  Indian 
beauty.  As  she  approached  them  the  grim  old  warriors 
regarded  her  with  pleasure,  for  they  had  a  secret  pride  in 
the  hope  of  engrafting  so  rare  a  scion  on  the  stock  of 
their  own  nation;  adoption  being  as  regularly  practised, 
and  as  distinctly  recognized  among  the  tribes  of  America, 
as  it  ever  had  been  among  those  nations  that  submit  to 
the  sway  of  the  civil  law. 

As  soon  as  Hist  was  seated  by  the  side  of  Hetty,  the  old 
chief  desired  her  to  ask  "the  fair  young  pale  face"  what 
had  brought  her  among  the  Iroquois,  and  what  they  could 
do  to  serve  her. 

"Tell  them,  Hist,  who  I  am — Thomas  Hutter's  young 
est  daughter;  Thomas  Hutter,  the  oldest  of  their  two 
prisoners;  he  who  owns  the  castle  and  the  ark,  and  who 
has  the  best  right  to  be  thought  the  owner  of  these  hills, 
and  that  lake,  since  he  has  dwelt  so  long,  and  trapped  so 
long,  and  fished  so  long  among  them.  They'll  know  whom 
you  mean  by  Thomas  Hutter,  if  you  tell  them  that.  And 
then  tell  them  that  I've  come  here  to  convince  them  they 
ought  not  to  harm  father  and  Hurry,  but  let  them  go  in 
peace,  and  to  treat  them  as  brothers,  rather  than  as 
enemies.  Now  tell  them  all  this  plainly,  Hist,  and  fear 
nothing  for  yourself  or  me;  God  will  protect  us." 

Wah-ta-Wah  did  as  the  other  desired;  taking  care  to 
render  the  words  of  her  friend  as  literally  as  possible  into 
the  Iroquois  tongue,  a  language  she  used  with  a  readiness 
almost  equal  to  that  with  which  she  spoke  her  own.  The 
chiefs  heard  this  opening  explanation  with  grave  decorum; 
the  two  who  had  a  little  knowledge  of  English  intimating 
their  satisfaction  with  the  interpreter  by  furtive  but 
significant  glances  of  the  eyes. 

"And  now,  Hist,"  continued  Hetty,  as  soon  as  it  was 
intimated  to  her  that  she  might  proceed;  "and  now,  Hist, 
I  wish  you  to  tell  these  red-men,  word  for  word,  what  I 
am  about  to  say.  Tell  them  first,  that  father  and  Hurry 
came  here  with  an  intention  to  take  as  many  scalps  as 
they  could;  for  the  wicked  governor  and  the  province 
have  offered  money  for  scalps;  whether  of  warriors  or 
women,  men  or  children;  and  the  love  of  gold  was  too 


184  THE   DEERSLAYER 

strong  for  their  hearts  to  withstand  it.  Tell  them  this, 
dear  Hist,  just  as  you  have  heard  it  from  me,  word  for 
word." 

Wah-ta-Wah  hesitated  about  rendering  this  speech  as 
literally  as  had  been  desired;  but  detecting  the  intelli 
gence  of  those  who  understood  English,  and  apprehending 
even  a  greater  knowledge  than  they  actually  possessed, 
she  found  herself  compelled  to  comply.  Contrary  to  what 
a  civilized  man  would  have  expected,  the  admission  of  the 
motives  and  of  the  errands  of  their  prisoners  produced  no 
visible  effect  on  either  the  countenances  or  the  feelings  of 
the  listeners.  They  probably  considered  the  act  meri 
torious,  and  that  which  neither  of  them  would  have  hesi 
tated  to  perform  in  his  own  person,  he  would  not  be  apt 
to  censure  in  another. 

"And  now,  Hist,"  resumed  Hetty,  as  soon  as  she  per 
ceived  that  her  first  speeches  were  understood  by  the 
chiefs;  "you  can  tell  them  more.  They  know  that  father 
and  Hurry  did  not  succeed;  and  therefore  they  can  bear 
them  no  grudge  for  any  harm  that  has  been  done.  If  they 
had  slain  their  children  and  wives,  it  would  not  alter  the 
matter;  and  I'm  not  certain  that  what  I  am  about  to  tell 
them  would  not  have  more  weight  had  there  been  mischief 
done.  But  ask  them  first,  Hist,  if  they  know  there  is  a 
God  who  reigns  over  the  whole  earth  and  is  ruler  and 
chief  of  all  who  live,  let  them  be  red  or  white,  or  what 
color  they  may." 

Wah-ta-Wah  looked  a  little  surprised  at  this  question; 
for  the  idea  of  the  Great  Spirit  is  seldom  long  absent  from 
the  mind  of  an  Indian  girl.  She  put  the  question  as  liter 
ally  as  possible,  however,  and  received  a  grave  answer  in 
the  affirmative. 

"This  is  right,"  continued  Hetty,  "and  my  duty  will 
now  be  light.  This  Great  Spirit,  as  you  call  our  God,  has 
caused  a  book  to  be  written,  that  we  call  a  Bible;  and  in 
this  book  have  been  set  down  all  his  commandments,  and 
his  holy  will  and  pleasure,  and  the  rules  by  which  all  men 
are  to  live,  and  directions  how  to  govern  the  thoughts 
even,  and  the  wishes,  and  the  will.  Here,  this  is  one  of 
these  holy  books,  and  you  must  tell  the  chiefs  what  I  am 
about  to  read  to  them  from  its  sacred  pages." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  185 

As  Hetty  concluded,  she  reverently  unrolled  a  small 
English  Bible  from  its  envelope  of  coarse  calico;  treating 
the  volume  with  the  sort  of  external  respect  that  a  Ro 
manist  would  be  apt  to  show  to  a  religious  relic.  As  she 
slowly  proceeded  in  her  task,  the  grim  warriors  watched 
each  movement  with  riveted  eyes;  and  when  they  saw  the 
little  volume  appear,  a  slight  expression  of  surprise 
escaped  one  or  two  of  them.  But  Hetty  held  it  out 
towards  them  in  triumph,  as  if  she  expected  the  sight 
would  produce  a  visible  miracle;  and  then,  without  be 
traying  either  surprise  or  mortification  at  the  stoicism  of 
the  Indian,  she  turned  eagerly  to  her  new  friend,  in 
order  to  renew  the  discourse. 

"This  is  the  sacred  volume,  Hist,"  she  said,  "and 
these  words,  and  lines,  and  verses,  and  chapters,  all  came 
from  God." 

"Why  Great  Spirit  no  send  book  to  Injin,  too?"  de 
manded  Hist,  with  the  directness  of  a  mind  that  was 
totally  unsophisticated. 

"Why?"  answered  Hetty,  a  little  bewildered  by  a 
question  so  unexpected.  "Why?  Ah!  you  know  the 
Indians  don't  know  how  to  read." 

If  Hist  was  not  satisfied  with  the  explanation,  she  did 
not  deem  the  point  of  sufficient  importance  to  be  pressed. 
Simply  bending  her  body,  in  gentle  admission  of  the  truth 
of  what  she  heard,  she  sat  patiently  awaiting  the  further 
arguments  of  the  pale  face  enthusiast. 

"You  can  tell  these  chiefs,  that  throughout  this  book, 
men  are  ordered  to  forgive  their  enemies;  to  treat  them 
as  they  would  brethren;  and  never  to  injure  their  fellow- 
creatures,  more  especially  on  account  of  revenge,  or  any 
evil  passion.  Do  you  think  you  can  tell  them  this,  so  that 
they  will  understand  it,  Hist?" 

"Tell  him  well  enough;  but  he  no  very  easy  to  under 
stand." 

Hist  then  conveyed  the  ideas  of  Hetty  in  the  best  man 
ner  she  could  to  the  attentive  Indians;  who  heard  her 
words  with  some  such  surprise  as  an  American  of  our 
own  times  would  be  apt  to  betray  at  a  suggestion  that  the 
great  modern,  but  vacillating  ruler  of  things  human, 
public  opinion,  might  be  wrong.  One  or  two  of  their 


186  THE   DEERSLAYER 

number,  however,  having  met  with  missionaries,  said  a 
few  words  in  explanation,  and  then  the  group  gave  all  its 
attention  to  the  communications  that  were  to  follow. 
Before  Hetty  resumed,  she  inquired  earnestly  of  Hist  if 
the  chiefs  had  understood  her,  and  receiving  an  evasive 
answer,  was  fain  to  be  satisfied. 

"I  will  now  read  to  the  warriors  some  of  the  verses 
that  it  is  good  for  them  to  know,"  continued  the  girl, 
whose  manner  grew  more  solemn  and  earnest  as  she  pro 
ceeded;  "and  they  will  remember  that  they  are  the  words 
of  the  Great  Spirit.  First,  then,  ye  are  commanded  to 
'Love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.'  Tell  them  that,  dear 
Hist." 

"Neighbor  for  Injin  no  mean  pale  face,"  answered  the 
Delaware  girl,  with  more  decision  than  she  had  hitherto 
thought  it  necessary  to  use.  "Neighbor  mean  Iroquois 
for  Iroquois,  Mohican  for  Mohican,  pale  face  for  pale 
face.  No  need  tell  chief  anything  else." 

"You  forget,  Hist,  these  are  the  words  of  the  Great 
Spirit,  and  the  chiefs  must  obey  them  as  well  as  others. 
Here  is  another  commandment:  'Whosoever  shall  smite 
thee  on  the  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also.'  " 

"What  that  mean?"  demanded  Hist,  with  the  quickness 
of  lightning. 

Hetty  explained  that  it  was  an  order  not  to  resent  in 
juries,  but  rather  to  submit  to  receive  fresh  wrongs  from 
the  offender. 

"And  hear  this,  too,  Hist,"  she  added,  "  'Love  your 
enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that 
hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despitefully  use  you 
and  persecute  you. '  ' 

By  this  time  Hetty  had  become  excited.  Her  eye 
gleamed  with  the  earnestness  of  her  feelings,  her  cheeks 
flushed,  and  her  voice,  usually  so  low  and  modulated,  be 
came  stronger  and  more  impressive.  With  the  Bible  she 
had  been  early  made  familiar  by  her  mother;  and  she  now 
turned  from  passage  to  passage  with  surprising  rapidity, 
taking  care  to  cull  such  verses  as  taught  the  sublime 
lessons  of  Christian  charity  and  Christian  forgiveness.  To 
translate  half  she  said,  in  her  pious  earnestness,  Wah-ta- 
Wah  would  have  found  impracticable,  had  she  made  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  187 

""< 

effort;  but  wonder  held  her  tongue-tied,  equally  with  the 
chiefs;  and  the  young,  simple-minded  enthusiast  had 
fairly  become  exhausted  with  her  own  efforts,  before  the 
other  opened  her  mouth  again  to  utter  a  syllable.  Then, 
indeed,  the  Delaware  girl  gave  a  brief  translation  of  the 
substance  of  what  had  been  both  read  and  said,  confining 
herself  to  one  or  two  of  the  more  striking  of  the  verses, 
those  that  had  struck  her  own  imagination  as  the  most 
paradoxical,  and  which  certainly  would  have  been  the 
most  applicable  to  the  case,  could  the  uninstructed  minds 
of  the  listeners  embrace  the  great  moral  truths  they 
conveyed. 

It  will  be  scarcely  necessary  to  tell  the  reader  the  effect 
that  such  novel  duties  would  be  likely  to  produce  among 
a  group  of  Indian  warriors,  with  whom  it  was  a  species 
of  religious  principle  never  to  forget  a  benefit  or  to  for 
give  an  injury.  Fortunately,  the  previous  explanations 
of  Hist  had  prepared  the  minds  of  the  Hurons  for  some 
thing  extravagant;  and  most  of  that  which  to  them  seemed 
inconsistent  and  paradoxical  was  accounted  for  by  the 
fact,  that  the  speaker  possessed  a  mind  that  was  consti 
tuted  differently  from  those  of  most  of  the  human  race. 
Still  there  were  one  or  two  old  men  who  had  read  similar 
doctrines  from  the  missionaries,  and  they  felt  a  desire  to 
occupy  an  idle  moment  by  pursuing  a  subject  that  they 
found  so  curious. 

"This  is  the  Good  Book  of  the  pale  faces,"  observed 
one  of  these  chiefs,  taking  the  volume  from  the  unresist 
ing  hand  of  Hetty,  who  gazed  anxiously  at  his  face,  while 
he  turned  the  leaves,  as  if  she  expected  to  witness  some 
visible  results  from  the  circumstance.  "This  is  the  law 
by  which  my  white  brethren  profess  to  live?" 

Hist,  to  whom  this  question  was  addressed,  if  it  might 
be  considered  as  addressed  to  anyone  in  particular,  an 
swered  simply  in  the  affirmative;  adding  that  both  the 
French  of  the  Canadas  and  the  Yengeese  of  the  British 
provinces  equally  admitted  its  authority,  and  affected  to 
revere  its  principles. 

"Tell  my  young  sister,"  said  the  Huron,  looking  di 
rectly  at  Hist,  "that  I  will  open  my  mouth  and  say  a  few 
words. ' ' 


188  THE   DEERSLAYER 

*  'The  Iroquois  chief  go  to  speak — my  pale-face  friend 
listen,"  said  Hist. 

"I  rejoice  to  hear  it!"  exclaimed  Hetty.  "God  has 
touched  his  heart,  and  he  will  let  father  and  Hurry  go!" 

"This  is  the  pale-face  law,"  resumed  the  chief.  "It 
tells  him  to  do  good  to  them  that  hurt  him;  when  his 
brother  asks  him  for  his  rifle,  to  give  him  the  powder- 
horn,  too.  Such  is  the  pale-face  law?" 

"Not  so — not  so,"  answered  Hetty  earnestly,  when 
these  words  had  been  interpreted.  "There  is  not  a  word 
about  rifles  in  the  whole  book;  and  powder  and  bullets 
give  offense  to  the  Great  Spirit." 

"Why,  then,  does  the  pale  face  use  them?  If  he  is  or 
dered  to  give  double  to  him  that  asks  only  for  one  thing 
why  does  he  take  double  from  the  poor  Indians,  who  ask 
for  no  thing?  He  comes  from  beyond  the  rising  sun, 
with  his  book  in  his  hand,  and  he  teaches  the  red-man  to 
read  it;  but  why  does  he  forget  himself  all  it  says?  When 
the  Indian  gives,  he  is  never  satisfied;  and  now  he  offers 
gold  for  the  scalps  of  our  women  and  children,  though  he 
calls  us  beasts  if  we  take  the  scalp  of  a  warrior  killed  in 
open  war.  My  name  is  Rivenoak. " 

When  Hetty  had  got  this  formidable  question  fairly 
presented  to  her  mind  in  the  translation,  and  Hist  did  her 
duty  with  more  than  usual  readiness  on  this  occasion,  it 
scarcely  need  be  said  that  she  was  sorely  perplexed.  Abler 
heads  than  that  of  this  poor  girl  have  frequently  been 
puzzled  by  questions  of  a  similar  drift;  and  it  is  not  sur 
prising,  that  with  all  her  own  earnestness  and  sincerity 
she  did  not  know  what  answer  to  make. 

"What  shall  I  tell  them,  Hist?"  she  asked,  imploringly; 
"I  know  that  all  I  have  read  from  the  book  is  true;  and 
yet  it  wouldn't  seem  so,  would  it,  by  the  conduct  of  those 
to  whom  the  book  was  given?" 

"Give  'em  pale-face  reason,"  returned  Hist,  ironically, 
"that  always  good  for  one  side;  though  he  bad  for 
t'other." 

"No,  no,  Hist,  there  can't  be  two  sides  to  truth— and 
yet  it  does  seem  strange!  I'm  certain  I  have  read  the 
verses  right,  and  no  one  would  be  so  wicked  as  to  print 
the  word  of  God  wrong.  That  can  never  be,  Hist." 


THE   BEERSLAYER  189 

"Well,  to  poor  Injin  girl  it  seem  everything  can  be  to 
palefaces,"  returned  the  other,  coolly.  "One  time  'ey 
say  white,  and  one  time  'ey  say  black.  Why,  never  can 
be?" 

Hetty  was  more  and  more  embarrassed,  until,  overcome 
with  the  apprehension  that  she  had  failed  in  her  object, 
and  that  the  lives  of  her  father  and  Hurry  would  be  the 
forfeit  of  some  blunder  of  her  own,  she  burst  into  tears. 
From  that  moment  the  manner  of  Hist  lost  ail  its  irony 
and  cool  indifference,  and  she  became  the  fond  caressing 
friend  again.  Throwing  her  arms  around  the  afflicted 
girl,  she  attempted  to  soothe  her  sorrows  by  the  scarcely 
ever  failing  remedy  of  female  sympathy. 

"Stop  cry — no  cry,"  she  said,  wiping  the  tears  from 
the  face  of  Hetty,  as  she  would  have  performed  the  same 
office  for  a  child,  and  stopping  to  press  her,  occasionally, 
to  her  own  warm  bosom  with  the  affection  of  a  sister; 
"why  you  so  trouble?  You  no  make  he  book,  if  he  be 
wrong,  and  you  no  make  he  pale  face,  if  he  be  wicked. 
There  wicked  red  man,  and  wicked  white  man — no  color 
all  good — no  color  all  wicked.  Chiefs  know  that  well 
enough." 

Hetty  soon  recovered  from  this  sudden  burst  of  grief, 
and  then  her  mind  reverted  to  the  purpose  of  her  visit, 
with  its  single-hearted  earnestness.  Perceiving  that  the 
grim-looking  chiefs  were  still  standing  around  her,  in 
grave  attention,  she  hoped  that  another  effort  to  convince 
them  of  the  right  might  be  successful. 

"Listen,  Hist,"  she  said,  struggling  to  suppress  her 
sobs,  and  to  speak  distinctly;  "tell  the  chiefs  that  it 
matters  not  what  the  wicked  do — right  is  right — the 
words  of  the  Great  Spirit  are  the  words  of  the  Great 
Spirit — and  no  one  can  go  harmless  for  doing  an  evil  act, 
because  another  has  done  it  before  him!  'Render  good 
for  evil'  says  this  book;  and  that  is  the  law  for  the  red 
man  as  well  as  for  the  white  man." 

"Never  hear  such  law  among  Delaware,  or  among  Iro- 
quois, "  answered  Hist,  soothingly.  "No  good  to  tell 
chiefs  any  such  law  as  dat.  Tell  'em  somet'ing  they 
believe. ' ' 

Hist  was  about  to  proceed,  notwithstanding,  when  a 


190  THE   DEERSLAYER 

tap  on  the  shoulder,  from  the  finger  of  the  oldest  chief, 
caused  her  to  lookup.  She  then  perceived  that  one  of  the 
warriors  had  left  the  group,  and  was  already  returning  to 
it  with  Hutter  and  Hurry.  Understanding  that  the  two 
last  were  to  become  parties  in  the  inquiry,  she  became 
mute,  with  the  unhesitating  obedience  of  an  Indian 
woman.  In  a  few  seconds  the  prisoners  stood  face  to  face 
with  the  principal  men  of  the  captors. 

"Daughter,"  said  the  senior  chief  to  the  young  Dela 
ware,  "ask  this  graybeard  why  he  came  into  our  camp?" 

The  question  was  put  by  Hist,  in  her  own  imperfect 
English,  but  in  a  way  that  was  easy  to  be  understood. 
Hutter  was  too  stern  and  obdurate,  by  nature,  to  shrink 
from  the  consequences  of  any  of  his  acts,  and  he  was  also 
too  familiar  with  the  opinions  of  the  savages  not  to  un 
derstand  that  nothing  was  to  be  gained  by  equivocation, 
or  an  unmanly  dread  of  their  anger.  Without  hesitating, 
therefore,  he  avowed  the  purpose  with  which  he  had 
landed,  merely  justifying  it  by  the  fact  that  the  govern 
ment  of  the  province  had  bid  high  for  scalps.  This  frank 
avowal  was  received  by  the  Iroquois  with  evident  satis 
faction,  not  so  much,  however,  on  account  of  the  advan 
tage  it  gave  them  in  a  moral  point  of  view,  as  by  proving 
that  they  had  captured  a  man  worthy  of  occupying  their 
thoughts,  and  of  becoming  a  subject  of  their  revenge. 
Hurry,  when  interrogated,  confessed  the  truth,  though 
he  would  have  been  more  disposed  to  concealment  than 
his  sterner  companion,  did  the  circumstances  very  well 
admit  of  its  adoption.  But  he  had  tact  enough  to  discover 
that  equivocation  would  be  useless  at  that  moment,  and 
he  made  a  merit  of  necessity  by  imitating  a  frankness, 
which,  in  the  case  of  Hutter,  was  the  offspring  of  habits 
of  indifference,  acting  on  a  disposition  that  was  always 
ruthless  and  reckless  of  personal  consequences. 

As  soon  as  the  chiefs  had  received  the  answers  to  their 
questions  they  walked  away  in  silence,  like  men  who 
deemed  the  matter  disposed  of,  all  Hetty's  dogmas  being 
thrown  away  on  beings  trained  in  violence  from  infancy 
to  manhood.  Hetty  and  Hist  were  now  left  alone  with 
Hutter  and  Hurry,  no  visible  restraint  being  placed  on 
the  movements  of  either;  though  all  four,  in  fact,  were 


THE   DEERSLAYER  191 

vigilantly  and  unceasingly  watched.  As  respects  the  men, 
care  was  had  to  prevent  them  from  getting  possession  of 
any  of  the  rifles  that  lay  scattered  about,  their  own  in 
cluded;  and  there  all  open  manifestations  of  watchfulness 
ceased.  But  they,  who  were  so  experienced  in  Indian 
practises,  knew  too  well  how  great  was  the  distance  be 
tween  appearances  and  reality,  to  become  the  dupes  of 
this  seeming  carelessness.  Although  both  thought  inces 
santly  on  the  means  of  escape,  and  this  without  concert, 
each  was  aware  of  the  uselessness  of  attempting1  any  pro 
ject  of  the  sort  that  was  not  deeply  laid  and  promptly 
executed.  They  had  been  long  enough  in  the  encamp 
ment,  and  were  sufficiently  observant  to  have  ascertained 
that  Hist,  also,  was  a  sort  of  captive;  and,  presuming  on 
the  circumstance,  Hutter  spoke  in  her  presence  more 
openly  than  he  might  otherwise  have  thought  it  prudent 
to  do,  inducing  Hurry  to  be  equally  unguarded  by  his 
example. 

"I'll  not  blame  you,  Hetty,  for  coming  on  this  errand, 
which  was  well  meant,  if  not  very  wisely  planned,"  com 
menced  the  father,  seating  himself  by  the  side  of  his 
daughter,  and  taking  her  hand,  a  sign  of  affection  that 
this  rude  being  was  accustomed  to  manifest  to  this  par 
ticular  child;  "but  preaching  and  the  Bible  are  not  the 
means  to  turn  an  Indian  from  his  ways.  Has  Deerslayer 
sent  any  message;  or  has  he  any  scheme  by  which  he 
thinks  to  get  us  free?" 

"Ay,  that's  the  substance  of  it!"  put  in  Hurry;  "if 
you  can  help  us,  gal,  to  half  a  mile  of  freedom,  or  even 
a  good  start  of  a  short  quarter,  I'll  answer  for  the  rest. 
Perhaps  the  old  man  may  want  a  little  more,  but  for 
one  of  my  height  and  years  that  will  meet  all  objections." 

Hetty  looked  distressed,  turning  her  eyes  from  one  to 
the  other;  but  she  had  no  answer  to  give  to  the  question 
of  the  reckless  Hurry. 

"Father,"  she  said,  "neither  Deerslayer  nor  Judith 
knew  of  my  coming,  until  I  had  left  the  ark.  They  are 
afraid  the  Iroquois  will  make  a  raft,  and  try  to  get  off  to 
the  hut,  and  think  more  of  defending  that,  than  of  coming 
to  aid  you." 

"No — no — no,"  said  Hist,  hurriedly,  though  in  a  low 


192  THE   DEERSLAYER 

voice,  and  with  her  face  bent  towards  the  earth,  in  order 
to  conceal  from  those  whom  she  knew  to  be  watching  them 
the  fact  of  her  speaking  at  all.  "No,  no,  no,  Deerslayer 
different  man.  He  no  t'ink  of  defending  'self,  with 
friend  in  danger.  Help  one  another,  and  all  get  to  hut." 

"This  sounds  well,  old  Tom,"  said  Hurry,  winking  and 
laughing,  though  he,  too,  used  the  precaution  to  speak  low. 
"Give  me  a  ready-witted  squaw  for  a  fri'nd,  and  though 
I'll  not  downright  defy  an  Iroquois,  I  think  I  would  defy 
the  devil." 

"No  talk  loud,"  said  Hist;  "  some  Iroquois  got  Yengeese 
tongue,  and  all  got  Yengeese  ear." 

"Have  we  a  friend  in  you,  young  woman?"  inquired 
Hutter,  with  an  increasing  interest  in  the  conference. 
"If  so,  you  may  calculate  on  a  solid  reward;  and  nothing 
will  be  easier  than  to  send  you  to  your  own  tribe,  if  we 
can  once  fairly  get  you  off  with  us  to  the  castle.  Give  us 
the  ark  and  the  canoes,  and  we  can  command  the  lake, 
spite  of  all  the  savages  in  the  Canadas.  Nothing  but 
artillery  could  drive  us  out  of  the  castle,  if  we  can  get 
back  to  it." 

"S'pose  'ey  come  ashore  to  take  scalp?"  retorted  Hist, 
with  cool  irony,  at  which  the  girl  appeared  to  be  more 
expert  than  is  common  for  her  sex. 

"Ay,  ay — that  was  a  mistake;  but  there  is  little  use  in 
lamentations,  and  less  still,  young  woman,  in  flings." 

"Father. "  said  Hetty,  "Judith  thinks  of  breaking  open 
the  big  chest,  in  hopes  of  finding  something  in  that  which 
may  buy  your  freedom  of  the  savages. ' ' 

A  dark  look  came  over  Hutter,  at  the  announcement  of 
this  fact,  and  he  muttered  his  dissatisfaction  in  a  way  to 
render  it  intelligible  enough. 

"What  for  no  break  open  chest?"  put  in  Hist  "Life 
sweeter  than  old  chest — scalp  sweeter  than  old  chest.  If 
no  tell  darter  to  break  him  open,  Wah-ta-Wah  no  help 
him  to  run  away." 

"Ye  know  not  what  ye  ask — ye  are  but  silly  girls  and 
the  wisest  way  for  ye  both  is  to  speak  of  what  ye  under 
stand,  and  to  speak  of  nothing  else.  I  little  like  this  cold 
neglect  of  the  savages,  Hurry;  it's  a  proof  that  they  think 
of  something  serious,  and  if  we  are  to  do  anything,  we 


THE   DEERSLAYER  193 

must  do  it  soon.     Can  we  count  on  this  young  woman, 
think  you?" 

"Listen,"  said  Hist,  quickly,  and  with  an  earnestness 
that  proved  how  much  her  feelings  were  concerned; 
"Wah-ta-Wah  no  Iroquois— all  over  Delaware — got  Dela 
ware  heart — Delaware  feeling.  She  prisoner,  too.  One 
prisoner  help  t' udder  prisoner.  No  good  to  talk  more 
now.  Darter  stay  with  fader — Wah-ta-Wah  come  and  see 
friend — all  look  right — then  tell  what  he  do." 

This  was  said  in  a  low  voice,  but  distinctly,  and  in  a 
manner  to  make  an  impression.  As  soon  as  it  was  ut 
tered,  the  girl  arose  and  left  the  group,  walking  com 
posedly  towards  the  hut  she  occupied,  as  if  she  had  no 
further  interest  in  what  might  pass  between  the  pale 
faces. 
13 


CHAPTER    XII 

"  She  speaks  much  of  her  father  ;  says  she  hears 
There's  tricks  i'  the  world  ;  and  hems,  and  beats  her  heart ; 
Spurns  enviously  at  straws  ;  speaks  thing's  in  doubt. 
That  carry  but  half  sense ;  her  speech  is  nothing, 
Yet  the  unsuspected  use  of  it  doth  move 
The  hearers  to  collection." 

—SHAKESPEARE. 

WE  left  the  occupants  of  the  castle  and  the  ark  buried 
in  sleep.  Once  or  twice,  in  the  course  of  the  night,  it  is 
true,  Deerslayer  or  the  Delaware  arose  and  looked  out 
upon  the  tranquil  lake,  when,  finding  all  safe,  each  re 
turned  to  his  pallet,  and  slept  like  a  man  who  was  not 
easily  deprived  of  his  natural  rest.  At  the  first  signs  of 
the  dawn,  the  former  arose,  however,  and  made  his  per 
sonal  arrangements  for  the  day;  though  his  companion, 
whose  nights  had  not  been  tranquil  or  without  disturbance 
of  late,  continued  on  his  blanket  until  the  sun  had  fairly 
risen.  Judith,  too,  was  later  than  common  that  morn 
ing,  for  the  earlier  hours  of  the  night  had  brought  her 
little  of  either  refreshment  or  sleep.  But  ere  the  sun  had 
shown  himself  over  the  eastern  hills,  these,  too,  were  up 
and  afoot;  even  the  tardy,  in  that  region,  seldom  remain 
ing  on  their  pallets  after  the  appearance  of  the  great 
luminary. 

Chingachgook  was  in  the  act  of  arranging  his  forest 
toilet,  when  Deerslayer  entered  the  cabin  of  the  ark,  and 
threw  him  a  few  coarse,  but  light  summer  vestments, 
that  belonged  to  Hutter. 

"Judith  hath  given  me  chem  for  your  use,  chief,"  said 
the  latter,  as  he  cast  the  jacket  and  trousers  at  the  feet 
of  the  Indian;  "for  it's  ag'in  all  prudence  and  caution  to 
be  seen  in  your  war  dress  and  paint.  Wash  off  all  them 
fiery  streaks  from  your  cheeks,  put  on  these  garments, 
and  here  is  a  hat,  such  as  it  is,  that  will  give  you  an 
awful  oncivilized  sort  of  civilization,  as  the  missionaries 
call  it.  Remember  that  Hist  is  at  hand,  and  what  we  do 

194 


THE   DEERSLAYER  195 

for  the  maiden  must  be  done  while  we  are  doing  for 
others.  I  know  it's  ag'in  your  gifts  and  your  natur'  to 
wear  clothes,  unless  they  are  cut  and  carried  in  a  red- 
man's  fashion,  but  make  a  virtue  of  necessity,  and  put 
these  on  at  once,  even  if  they  do  rise  a  little  in  your 
throat." 

Chingachgook,  or  the  Serpent,  eyed  the  vestments  with 
strong  disgust;  but  he  saw  the  usefulness  of  the  disguise, 
if  not  its  absolute  necessity.  Should  the  Iroquois  discover 
a  red-man  in  or  about  the  castle,  it  might,  indeed,  place 
them  more  on  their  guard,  and  give  their  'suspicions  a 
direction  towards  their  female  captive.  Anything  was 
better  than  a  failure,  as  it  regarded  his  betrothed,  and, 
after  turning  the  different  garments  round  and  round, 
examining  them  with  a  species  of  grave  irony,  affecting 
to  draw  them  on  in  a  way  that  defeated  itself,  and  other 
wise  manifesting  the  reluctance  of  a  young  savage  to  con 
fine  his  limbs  in  the  usual  appliances  of  civilized  life,  the 
chief  submitted  to  the  directions  of  his  companion,  and 
finally  stood  forth,  so  far  as  the  eye  could  detect,  a  red- 
man  in  color  alone.  Little  was  to  be  apprehended  from 
this  last  peculiarity,  however,  the  distance  from  the 
shore,  and  the  want  of  glasses,  preventing  any  very  close 
scrutiny,  and  Deerslayer  himself,  though  of  a  brighter 
and  fresher  tint,  had  a  countenance  that  was  burned  by 
the  sun  to  a  hue  scarcely  less  red  than  that  of  his  Mohican 
companion.  The  awkwardness  of  the  Delaware,  in  his 
new  attire,  caused  his  friend  to  smile  more  than  once  that 
day,  but  he  carefully  abstained  from  the  use  of  any  of 
those  jokes  which  would  have  been  bandied  among  white 
men  on  such  an  occasion;  the  habits  of  a  chief,  the  dignity 
of  a  warrior  on  his  first  path,  and  the  gravity  of  the  cir 
cumstances  in  which  they  were  placed,  uniting  to  render 
so  much  levity  out  of  season. 

The  meeting  at  the  morning  meal  of  the  three  islanders, 
if  we  may  use  the  term,  was  silent,  grave,  and  thought 
ful.  Judith  showed  by  her  looks  that  she  had  passed  an 
unquiet  night,  while  the  two  men  had  the  future  before 
them,  with  its  unseen  and  unknown  events.  A  few  words 
of  courtesy  passed  between  Deerslayer  and  the  girl  in  the 
course  of  the  breakfast,  but  no  allusion  was  made  to  their 


196  THE   DEERSLAYER 

situation.  At  length  Judith,  whose  heart  was  full,  and 
whose  novel  feelings  disposed  her  to  entertain  sentiments 
more  gentle  and  tender  than  common,  introduced  the 
subject,  and  this  in  a  way  to  show  how  much  of  her 
thoughts  it  had  occupied  in  the  course  of  the  last  sleep 
less  night. 

"It  would  be  dreadful,  Deerslayer, "  the  girl  abruptly 
exclaimed,  "should  anything  serious  befall  my  father  and 
Hetty!  We  cannot  remain  quietly  here  and  leave  them  in 
the  hands  of  the  Troquois,  without  bethinking  us  of  some 
means  of  serving  them." 

"I'm  ready,  Judith,  to  sarve  them,  and  all  others  who 
are  in  trouble,  could  the  way  to  do  it  be  pointed  out. 
It's  no  trifling  matter  to  fall  into  red-skin  hands,  when 
men  set  out  on  an  arr'nd  like  that  which  took  Hutter  and 
Hurry  ashore;  that  I  know  as  well  as  another;  and  I 
wouldn't  wish  my  worst  inimy  in  such  a  strait,  much  less 
them  with  whom  I've  journeyed,  and  eat,  and  slept. 
Have  you  any  scheme  that  you  would  like  to  have  the 
Sarpent  and  me  indivor  to  carry  out?" 

"I  know  of  no  other  means  to  release  the  prisoners, 
than  by  bribing  the  Iroquois.  They  are  not  proof  against 
presents;  and  we  might  offer  enough,  perhaps,  to  make 
them  think  it  better  to  carry  away  what  to  them  will  be 
rich  gifts  than  to  carry  away  poor  prisoners;  if,  indeed, 
they  should  carry  them  away  at  all!" 

"This  is  well  enough,  Judith;  yes,  it's  well  enough,  if 
the  inimy  is  to  be  bought,  and  we  can  find  articles  to 
make  the  purchase  with.  Your  father  has  a  convenient 
lodge  and  it  is  most  cunningly  placed;  though  it  doesn't 
seem  overstocked  with  riches  that  will  be  likely  to  buy 
his  ransom.  There's  the  piece  he  calls  Killdeer  might 
count  for  something,  and  I  understand  there's  a  keg  of 
powder  about  might  be  a  make-weight,  sartain;  and  yet 
two  able-bodied  men  are  not  to  be  bought  off  for  a  trifle 
— besides " 

"Besides  what?"  demanded  Judith,  impatiently,  ob 
serving  that  the  other  hesitated  to  proceed,  probably  from 
a  reluctance  to  distress  her. 

"Why,  Judith,  the  Frenchers  offer  bounties  as  well  as 
our  own  side;  and  the  price  of  two  scalps  would  purchase 


THE   DEERSLAYER  197 

a  keg  of  powder  and  a  rifle;  though  I'll  not  say  one  of 
the  latter  altogether  as  good  as  Killdeer  there,  which  your 
father  va'nts  as  oncommon,  and  onequaled,  like.  But 
fair  powder,  and  a  pretty  sartain  rifle;  then  the  red  men 
are  not  the  expartest  in  fire-arms,  and  don't  always  know 
the  difference  atwixt  that  which  is  ra'al  and  that  which 
is  seeming. ' ' 

"This  is  horrible!"  muttered  the  girl,  struck  by  the 
homely  manner  in  which  her  companion  was  accustomed 
to  state  his  facts.  "But  you  overlook  my  own  clothes, 
Deerslayer;  and  they,  I  think,  might  go  far  with  the 
women  of  the  Iroquois. " 

"No  doubt  they  would;  no  doubt  they  would,  Judith," 
returned  the  other,  looking  at  her  keenly,  as  if  he  would 
ascertain  whether  she  were  really  capable  of  making  such 
a  sacrifice.  "But  are  you  sartain,  gal,  you  could  find  it 
in  your  heart  to  part  with  your  own  finery  for  such  a 
purpose?  Many  is  the  man  who  has  thought  he  was 
valiant  till  danger  stared  him  in  the  face;  I've  known 
them,  too,  that  consaited  they  were  kind  and  ready  to  give 
away  all  they  had  to  the  poor,  when  they've  been  listen 
ing  to  other  people's  hard-heartedness,  but  whose  fists 
have  clenched  as  tight  as  the  riven  hickory,  when  it  came 
to  downright  offerings  of  their  own.  Besides,  Judith, 
you're  handsome — oncommon  in  that  way,  one  might  ob- 
sarve,  and  do  no  harm  to  the  truth;  and  they  that  have 
beauty  like  to  have  that  which  will  adorn  it.  Are  you 
sartain  you  could  find  it  in  your  heart  to  part  with  your 
own  finery?" 

The  soothing  allusion  to  the  personal  charms  of  the  girl 
was  well-timed,  to  counteract  the  effect  produced  by  the 
distrust  that  the  young  man  expressed  of  Judith's  devo 
tion  to  her  filial  duties.  Had  another  said  as  much  as 
Deerslayer,  the  compliment  would  most  probably  have 
been  overlooked,  in  the  indignation  awakened  by  the 
doubts;  but  even  the  unpolished  sincerity,  that  so  often 
made  this  simple-minded  hunter  bare  his  thoughts,  had  a 
charm  for  the  girl;  and,  while  she  colored,  and  for  an 
instant  her  eyes  flashed  fire,  she  could  not  find  it  in  her 
heart  to  be  really  angry  with  one  whose  very  soul  seemed 
truth  and  manly  kindness.  Look  her  reproaches  she  did; 


198  THE   DEERSLAYER 

but  conquering  the  desire  to  retort,  she  succeeded  in 
answering  in  a  mild  and  friendly  manner. 

"You  must  keep  all  your  favorable  opinions  for  the 
Delaware  girls,  Deerslayer,  if  you  seriously  think  thus  of 
those  of  your  own  color,"  she  said,  affecting  to  laugh. 
"But,  try  me;  if  you  find  that  I  regret  either  ribbon  or 
feather,  silk  or  muslin,  then  may  you  think  what  you 
please  of  my  heart,  and  say  what  you  think." 

"That's  justice!  The  rarest  thing  to  find  on  a'rth  is 
a  truly  just  man.  So  says  Tamenund,  the  wisest  prophet 
of  theDelawares;  and  so  all  must  think  that  have  occasion 
to  see,  and  talk,  and  act  among  mankind.  I  love  a  just 
man — Sarpent;  his  eyes  are  never  covered  with  darkness 
towards  his  inimies,  while  they  are  all  sunshine  and 
brightness  towards  his  fri'nds.  He  uses  the  reason  that 
God  has  given  him,  and  he  uses  it  with  a  feelin'  of  his 
being  ordered  to  look  at,  and  to  consider  things  as  they 
are,  and  not  as  he  wants  them  to  be.  It's  easy  enough 
to  find  men  who  call  themselves  just;  but  it's  wonderfully 
oncommon  to  find  them  that  are  the  very  thing,  in  fact. 
How  often  have  I  seen  Indians,  gal,  who  believed  they 
were  lookin'  into  a  matter  agreeable  to  the  will  of  the 
Great  Spirit,  when,  in  truth,  they  were  only  striving  to 
act  up  to  their  own  will  and  pleasure,  and  this,  half  of 
the  time,  with  a  temptation  to  go  wrong,  that  could  no 
more  be  seen  by  themselves,  than  the  stream  that  runs  in 
the  next  valley  can  be  seen  by  us  through  yonder  moun 
tain;  though  any  looker-on  might  have  discovered  it  as 
plainly  as  we  can  discover  the  parch  that  are  swimming 
around  this  hut." 

"Very  true,  Deerslayer,"  rejoined  Judith,  losing  every 
trace  of  displeasure  in  a  bright  smile;  "very  true;  and  I 
hope  to  see  you  act  on  this  love  of  justice,  in  all  matters 
in  which  I  am  concerned.  Above  all,  I  hope  you  will 
judge  for  yourself,  and  not  believe  every  story  that  a 
prating  idler,  like  Hurry  Harry,  may  have  to  tell,  that 
goes  to  touch  the  good  name  of  any  young  woman  who  may 
not  happen  to  have  the  same  opinions  of  his  face  and 
person  that  the  blustering  gallant  has  of  himself. ' ' 

"Hurry  Harry's  idees  do  not  pass  for  gospel  with  me, 
Judith;  but  even  worse  than  he  may  have  eyes  and  ears," 


THE   DEERSLAYER  199 

"Enough  of  this!"  exclaimed  Judith,  with  flashing  eye, 
and  a  flush  that  mounted  to  her  temples;  "and  more  of  my 
father  and  his  ransom.  'Tis  as  you  say,  Deerslayer;  the 
Indians  will  not  be  likely  to  give  up  their  prisoners  with 
out  a  heavier  bribe  than  my  clothes  can  offer,  and  father's 
rifle  and  powder.  There  is  the  chest." 

"Ay,  there  is  the  chist,  as  you  say,  Judith;  and  when 
the  question  gets  to  be  between  a  secret  and  a  scalp,  I 
should  think  most  men  would  prefar  keeping  the  last. 
Did  your  father  ever  give  you  any  downright  command 
consarning  that  chist?" 

"Never.  He  has  always  appeared  to  think  its  locks, 
and  its  steel  bands,  and  its  strength,  its  best  protection." 

"  'Tis  a  rare  chist,  and  altogether  of  curious  build," 
returned  Deerslayer,  rising  and  approaching  the  thing  in 
question,  on  which  he  seated  himself,  with  a  view  to 
examine  it  with  greater  ease.  "Chingachgook,  this  is  no 
wood  that  come  of  any  forest  that  you  or  I  have  ever 
trailed  through!  'Tisn't  the  black  walnut;  and  yet  it's 
quite  as  comely,  if  not  more  so,  did  the  smoke  and  the 
treatment  give  it  fair  play." 

The  Delaware  drew  near,  felt  of  the  wood,  examined 
its  grain,  endeavored  to  indent  the  surface  with  a  nail, 
and  passed  his  hand  curiously  over  the  steel  bands,  the 
heavy  padlocks,  and  the  other  novel  peculiarities  of  the 
massive  box. 

"No — nothing  like  this  grows  in  these  regions,"  re 
sumed  Deerslayer;  "I've  seen  all  the  oaks,  both  the 
maples,  the  elms,  the  bass-wood,  all  the  walnuts,  the 
butternuts,  and  every  tree  that  has  a  substance  and  color, 
wrought  into  some  form  or  other;  but  never  have  I  be 
fore  seen  such  a  wood  as  this!  Judith,  the  chist  itself 
would  buy  your  father's  freedom,  or  Iroquois  cur'osity 
isn't  as  strong  as  red-skin  cur'osity,  in  general;  especially 
in  the  matter  of  woods." 

"The  purchase  might  be  cheaper  made,  perhaps,  Deer- 
slayer.  The  chest  is  full,  and  it  would  be  better  to  part 
with  half  than  to  part  with  the  whole.  Besides,  father— 
I  know  not  why — but  father  values  that  chest  highly." 

"He  would  seem  to  prize  what  it  holds  more  than  the 
chist  itself,  judging  by  the  manner  in  which  he  treats  the 


200  THE   DEERSLAYER 

outside  and  secures  the  inside.     Here  are  three  locks, 
Judith;  is  there  no  key?" 

"I've  never  seen  one;  and  yet  key  there  must  be,  since 
Hetty  told  us  she  had  often  seen  the  chest  opened. ' ' 

"Keys  no  more  lie  in  the  air,  or  float  on  the  water, 
than  humans,  gal ;  if  there  is  a  key,  there  must  be  a  place 
in  which  it  is  kept." 

"That  is  true,  and  it  might  not  be  difficult  to  find  it, 
did  we  dare  to  search!" 

"This  is  for  you,  Judith;  it  is  altogether  for  you.  The 
chist  is  your'n,  or  your  father's;  and  Hutter  is  your 
father,  not  mine.  Cur'osity  is  a  woman's  and  not  a  man's 
failing;  and  there  you  have  got  all  the  reasons  before 
you.  If  the  chist  has  articles  for  ransom,  it  seems  to  me 
they  would  be  wisely  used  in  redeeming  their  owner's 
life,  or  even  in  saving  his  scalp;  but  that  is  a  matter  for 
your  judgment,  and  not  for  our'n.  When  the  lawful 
owner  of  a  trap,  or  a  buck,  or  a  canoe,  isn't  present,  his 
next  of  kin  becomes  his  riprisentatyve,  by  all  the  laws  of 
the  woods.  We  therefore  leave  you  to  say  whether  the 
chist  shall  or  shall  not  be  opened." 

"I  hope  you  do  not  believe  I  can  hesitate,  when  my 
father's  life's  in  danger,  Deerslayer!" 

"Why,  it's  a  pretty  much  putting  a  scolding  ag'in  tears 
and  mourning.  It's  not  onreasonable  to  foretell  that  old 
Tom  may  find  fault  with  what  you've  done,  when  he  sees 
himself  once  more  in  his  hut,  here;  but  there's  nothing 
unusual  in  men's  falling  out  with  what  has  been  done  for 
their  own  good;  I  dare  to  say  that  even  the  moon  would 
seem  a  different  thing  from  what  it  now  does,  could  we 
look  at  it  from  the  other  side." 

"Deerslayer,  if  we  can  find  the  key,  I  will  authorize 
you  to  open  the  chest,  and  to  take  such  things  from  it  as 
you  may  think  will  buy  father's  ransom." 

"First  find  the  key,  gal;  we'll  talk  of  the  rest  a'ter- 
wards.  Sarpent,  you've  eyes  like  a  fly,  and  a  judgment 
that's  seldom  out;  can  you  help  us  in  calculating  where 
Floating  Tom  would  be  apt  to  keep  the  key  of  a  chist  that 
he  holds  to  be  as  private  as  this?" 

The  Delaware  had  taken  no  part  in  the  discourse,  until 
he  was  thus  directly  appealed  to,  when  he  quitted  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  201 

chest,  which  had  continued  to  attract  his  attention,  and 
cast  about  him  for  the  place  in  which  a  key  would  be 
likely  to  be  concealed  under  such  circumstances.  As 
Judith  and  Deerslayer  were  not  idle  the  while,  the  whole 
three  were  soon  engaged  in  an  anxious  and  spirited 
search.  As  it  was  certain  that  the  desired  key  was  not  to 
be  found  in  any  of  the  common  drawers  or  closets,  of 
which  there  were  several  in  the  building,  none  looked 
there,  but  all  turned  their  inquiries  to  those  places  that 
struck  them  as  ingenious  hiding  places,  and  more  likely 
to  be  used  for  such  a  purpose.  In  this  manner  the  outer 
room  was  thoroughly  but  fruitlessly  examined,  when  they 
entered  the  sleeping  apartment  of  Hutter.  This  part  of 
the  rude  building  was  better  furnished  than  the  rest  of 
the  structure,  containing  several  articles  that  had  been 
especially  devoted  to  the  service  of  the  deceased  wife  of 
its  owner;  but  as  Judith  had  all  the  rest  of  the  keys  it 
was  soon  rummaged,  without  bringing  to  light  the  par 
ticular  key  desired. 

They  now  entered  the  bedroom  of  the  daughters.  Chin- 
gachgook  was  immediately  struck  with  the  contrast  be 
tween  the  articles,  and  the  arrangement  of  that  side  of 
the  room  that  might  be  called  Judith's,  and  that  which 
more  properly  belonged  to  Hetty.  A  slight  exclamation 
escaped  him,  and  pointing  in  each  direction,  he  alluded 
to  the  fact  in  a  low  voice,  speaking  to  his  friend  in  the 
Delaware  tongue. 

"As  you  think,  Sarpent, "  answered  Deerslayer,  whose 
remarks  we  always  translate  into  English,  preserving  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  peculiar  phraseology  and  manner 
of  the  man.  "  'Tis  just  so,  as  anyone  may  see;  and  'tis 
all  founded  in  natur'.  One  sister  loves  finery,  some  say, 
overmuch;  while  t'other  is  as  meek  and  lowly  as  God  ever 
created  goodness  and  truth.  Yet,  after  all,  I  daresay 
that  Judith  has  her  vartues,  and  Hetty  has  her  failin's." 

"And  the  'Feeble-Mind'  has  seen  the  chest  opened?" 
inquired  Chingachgook,  with  curiosity  in  his  glance. 

"Sartain;  that  much  I've  heard  from  her  own  lips;  and, 
for  that  matter,  so  have  you.  It  seems  her  father  doesn't 
misgive  her  discretion,  though  he  does  that  of  his  eldest 
darter. ' ' 


202  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Then  the  key  is  hid  only  from  the  Wild  Rose?"  for  so 
Chingachgook  had  begun  gallantly  to  term  Judith,  in  his 
private  discourse  with  his  friend. 

"That's  it!  That's  just  it!  One  he  trusts,  and  the 
other  he  doesn't.  There's  red  and  white  in  that,  Sarpent; 
all  tribes  and  nations  agreeing  in  trusting  some,  and 
refusing  to  trust  other  some.  It  depends  on  character 
and  judgment. ' ' 

"Where  could  a  key  be  put,  so  little  likely  to  be  found 
by  the  Wild  Rose,  as  among  coarse  clothes?" 

Deerslayer  started,  and  turning  to  his  friend  with 
admiration  expressed  in  every  lineament  of  his  face,  he 
fairly  laughed,  in  his  silent  but  hearty  manner,  at  the 
ingenuity  and  readiness  of  the  conjecture. 

"Your  name's  well  bestowed,  Sarpent— yes,  'tis  well 
bestowed !  Sure  enough,  where  would  a  lover  of  finery  be 
so  little  likely  to  s'arch,  as  among  garments  as  coarse  and 
unseemly  as  these  of  poor  Hetty?  I  dare  to  say  Judith's 
delicate  fingers  haven't  touched  a  bit  of  cloth  as  rough 
and  oncomely  as  that  petticoat,  now,  since  she  first  made 
acquaintance  with  the  officers!  Yet,  who  knows?  the  key 
may  be  as  likely  to  be  on  the  same  peg  as  in  any  other 
place.  Take  down  the  garment,  Delaware,  and  let  us  see 
if  you  are  ra'ally  a  prophet." 

Chingachgook  did  as  desired,  but  no  key  was  found.  A 
coarse  pocket,  apparently  empty,  hung  on  the  adjoining 
peg,  and  this  was  next  examined.  By  this  time,  the 
attention  of  Judith  was  called  in  that  direction,  and  she 
spoke  hurriedly,  and  like  one  who  wished  to  save  unneces 
sary  trouble. 

"These  are  only  the  clothes  of  poor  Hetty,  dear  simple 
girl!"  she  said;  "nothing  we  seek  would  be  likely  to  be 
there." 

The  words  were  hardly  out  of  the  handsome  mouth  of 
the  speaker,  when  Chingachgook  drew  the  desired  key 
from  the  pocket.  Judith  was  too  quick  of  apprehension 
not  to  understand  the  reason  a  hiding  place  so  simple  and 
exposed  had  been  used.  The  blood  rushed  to  her  face,  as 
much  with  resentment,  perhaps,  as  with  shame;  and  she 
bit  her  lip,  though  she  continued  silent.  Deerslayer  and 
his  friend  now  discovered  the  delicacy  of  men  of  native 


THE   DEERSLAYER  203 

refinement,  neither  smiling,  or  even  by  a  glance  betray 
ing  how  completely  he  understood  the  motives  and  ingen 
uity  of  this  clever  artifice.  The  former,  who  had  taken 
the  key  from  the  Indian,  led  the  way  into  the  adjoining 
room,  and  applying  it  to  a  lock,  ascertained  that  the  right 
instrument  had  actually  been  found.  There  were  three 
padlocks,  each  of  which,  however,  was  easily  opened  by 
this  single  key.  Deerslayer  removed  them  all,  loosened 
the  hasps,  raised  the  lid  a  little  to  make  certain  it  was 
loose,  and  then  he  drew  back  from  the  chest  several  feet, 
signing  to  his  friend  to  follow. 

"This  is  a  family  chist,  Judith,"  he  said,  "and  'tis  like 
to  hold  family  secrets.  The  Sarpent  and  I  will  go  into 
the  ark,  and  look  to  the  canoes,  and  paddles,  and  oars; 
while  you  can  examine  it  by  yourself,  and  find  out 
whether  anything  that  will  be  a  make-weight  in  a  ran 
som  is  or  is  not  among  the  articles.  When  you've  got 
through,  give  us  a  call,  and  we'll  all  sit  in  council  to 
gether,  touching  the  valie  of  the  articles." 

"Stop,  Deerslayer,"  exclaimed  the  girl,  as  he  was  about 
to  withdraw;  "not  a  single  thing  will  I  touch — I  will 
not  even  raise  the  lid — unless  you  are  present.  Father 
and  Hetty  have  seen  fit  to  keep  the  inside  of  this  chest  a 
secret  from  me,  and  I  am  much  too  proud  to  pry  into 
their  hidden  treasures,  unless  it  were  for  their  own  good. 
But  on  no  account  will  I  open  the  chest  alone.  Stay  with 
me,  then;  I  want  witnesses  of  what  I  do." 

"I  rather  think,  Sarpent,  that  the  gal  is  right!  Confi 
dence  and  reliance  beget  security,  but  suspicion  is  like  to 
make  us  all  wary.  Judith  has  a  right  to  ask  us  to  be 
present;  and  should  the  chist  hold  any  of  Master  Hutter's 
secrets,  they  will  fall  into  the  keeping  of  two  as  close- 
mouthed  young  men  as  are  to  be  found.  We  will  stay 
with  you,  Judith — but  first  let  us  take  a  look  at  the  lake 
and  the  shore,  for  this  chist  will  not  be  emptied  in  a 
minute." 

The  two  men  now  went  out  on  the  platform,  and  Deer- 
slayer  swept  the  shore  with  the  glass,  while  the  Indian 
gravely  turned  his  eye  on  the  water  and  the  woods  in 
quest  of  any  sign  that  might  betray  the  machinations  of 
their  enemies.  Nothing  was  visible,  and  assured  of  their 


204  THE   DEERSLAYER 

temporary  security,  the  three  collected  around  the  chest 
again,  with  the  avowed  object  of  opening  it. 

Judith  had  held  this  chest,  and  its  unknown  contents, 
in  a  species  of  reverence  as  long  as  she  could  remember. 
Neither  her  father  nor  her  mother  ever  mentioned  it  in 
her  presence,  and  there  appeared  to  be  a  silent  convention 
that  in  naming  the  different  objects  that  occasionally 
stood  near  it,  or  even  lay  on  its  lid,  care  should  be  had  to 
avoid  any  allusion  to  the  chest  itself.  Habit  rendered 
this  so  easy,  and  so  much  a  matter  of  course,  that  it  was 
only  quite  recently  the  girl  had  begun  even  to  muse  on 
the  singularity  of  the  circumstance.  But  there  had  never 
been  sufficient  intimacy  between  Hutter  and  his  eldest 
daughter  to  invite  confidence.  At  times  he  was  kind,  but 
in  general,  with  her  more  especially,  he  was  stern  and 
morose.  Least  of  all  had  his  authority  been  exercised  in 
a  way  to  embolden  his  child  to  venture  on  the  liberty  she 
was  about  to  take,  without  many  misgivings  of  the  conse 
quences,  although  the  liberty  proceeded  from  a  desire  to 
serve  himself.  Then  Judith  was  not  altogether  free  from 
a  little  superstition  on  the  subject  of  this  chest,  which 
had  stood  a  sort  of  tabooed  relic  before  her  eyes  from 
childhood  to  the  present  hour.  Nevertheless,  the  time 
had  come  when  it  would  seem  that  this  mystery  was  to  be 
explained,  and  that  under  circumstances,  too,  which  left 
her  very  little  choice  in  the  matter. 

Finding  that  both  her  companions  were  watching  her 
movements  in  grave  silence,  Judith  placed  a  hand  on  the 
lid,  and  endeavored  to  raise  it.  Her  strength,  however, 
was  insufficient,  and  it  appeared  to  the  girl,  who  was  fully 
aware  that  all  the  fastenings  were  removed,  that  she  was 
resisted  in  an  unhallowed  attempt  by  some  supernatural 
power. 

"I  cannot  raise  the  lid,  Deerslayer, "  she  said,  "had  we 
not  better  give  up  the  attempt,  and  find  some  other  means 
of  releasing  the  prisoners?" 

"Not  so,  Judith;  not  so,  gal.  No  means  are  as  sartain 
and  easy  as  a  good  bribe,"  answered  the  other.  "As  for 
the  lid,  'tis  held  by  nothing  but  its  own  weight,  which  is 
prodigious  for  so  small  a  piece  of  wood,  loaded  with  iron 
as  it  is." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  205 

As  Deerslayer  spoke,  he  applied  his  own  strength  to  the 
effort,  and  succeeded  in  raising  the  lid  against  the  timbers 
of  the  house,  where  he  took  care  to  secure  it  by  a  suffi 
cient  prop.  Judith  fairly  trembled,  as  she  cast  her  first 
glance  at  the  interior;  and  she  felt  a  temporary  relief  in 
discovering  that  a  piece  of  canvas  that  was  carefully 
tucked  in  around  the  edges  effectually  concealed  all  be 
neath  it.  The  chest  was  apparently  well  stored,  however, 
the  canvas  lying  within  an  inch  of  the  lid. 

"Here's  a  full  cargo,"  said  Deerslayer,  eying  the  ar 
rangement;  "and  we  had  needs  go  to  work  leisurely,  and 
at  our  ease.  Sarpent,  bring  some  stools,  while  I  spread 
this  blanket  on  the  floor,  and  then  we'll  begin  work 
orderly  and  in  comfort." 

The  Delaware  complied;  Deerslayer  civilly  placed  a 
stool  for  Judith,  took  one  himself,  and  commenced  the 
removal  of  the  canvas  covering.  This  was  done  deliber 
ately,  and  in  as  cautious  a  manner  as  if  it  were  believed 
that  fabrics  of  a  delicate  construction  lay  hidden  beneath. 
When  the  canvas  was  removed,  the  first  articles  that  came 
in  view  were  some  of  the  habiliments  of  the  male  sex. 
These  were  of  fine  materials,  and,  according  to  the  fashions 
of  the  age,  were  gay  in  colors  and  rich  in  ornaments.  One 
coat,  in  particular,  was  of  scarlet,  and  had  buttonholes 
worked  in  gold  thread.  Still  it  was  not  military,  but  was 
part  of  the  attire  of  a  civilian  of  condition,  at  a  period 
when  social  rank  was  rigidly  respected  in  dress.  Chin- 
gachgook  could  not  refrain  from  an  exclamation  of  pleas 
ure,  as  soon  as  Deerslayer  opened  this  coat,  and  held  it  up 
to  view;  for,  notwithstanding  all  his  trained  self-com 
mand,  the  splendor  of  the  vestment  was  too  much  for  the 
philosophy  of  an  Indian.  Deerslayer  turned  quickly,  and 
he  regarded  his  friend  with  a  momentary  displeasure,  as 
this  burst  of  weakness  escaped  him;  and  then  he  solilo 
quized,  as  was  his  practise  whenever  any  strong  feeling 
suddenly  got  the  ascendency. 

"  'Tis  his  gift!  yes,  'tis  the  gift  of  a  red-skin  to  love 
finery,  and  he  is  not  to  be  blamed.  This  is  an  extr'ornary 
garment,  too;  and  extr'ornary  things  get  up  extr'onary 
feelin's.  I  think  this  will  do,  Judith,  for  the  Indian 
heart  is  hardly  to  be  found  in  all  America  that  can  with- 


206  THE   DEERSLAYER 

stand  colors  like  these  and  glitter  like  that.  If  this  coat 
was  ever  made  for  your  father,  you've  come  honestly  by 
the  taste  for  finery  you  have." 

"That  coat  was  never  made  for  father,"  answered  the 
girl,  quickly;  "it  is  much  too  long;  while  father  is  short 
and  square." 

"Cloth  was  plenty,  if  it  was,  and  glitter  cheap," 
answered  Deerslayer,  with  his  silent,  joyous  laugh. 
"Sarpent,  this  garment  was  made  for  a  man  of  your 
size,  and  I  should  like  to  see  it  on  your  shoulders." 

Chingachgook,  nothing  loath,  submitted  to  the  trial; 
throwing  aside  the  coarse  and  threadbare  jacket  of  Hutter 
to  deck  his  person  in  a  coat  that  was  originally  intended 
for  a  gentleman.  The  transformation  was  ludicrous;  but 
as  men  are  seldom  struck  with  incongruities  in  their  own 
appearance  any  more  than  in  their  own  conduct,  the  Del 
aware  studied  this  change  in  a  common  glass,  by  which 
Hutter  was  in  the  habit  of  shaving,  with  grave  interest. 
At  that  moment  he  thought  of  Hist,  and  we  owe  it  to 
truth  to  say,  though  it  may  militate  a  little  against  the 
stern  character  of  a  warrior  to  own  it,  that  he  wished  he 
could  be  seen  by  her  in  his  present  improved  aspect. 

"Off  with  it,  Sarpent — off  with  it,"  resumed  the  in 
flexible  Deerslayer;  "such  garments  as  little  become  you 
as  they  would  become  me.  Your  gifts  are  for  paint,  and 
hawk's  feathers,  and  blankets,  and  wampum;  and  mine 
are  for  doublets  of  skins,  tough  leggings,  and  sarviceable 
moccasins.  I  say  moccasins,  Judith,  for  though  white, 
living  as  I  do  in  the  woods,  it's  necessary  to  take  to  some 
of  the  practyces  of  the  woods,  for  comfort's  sake  and 
cheapness. ' ' 

"I  see  no  reason,  Deerslayer,  why  one  man  may  not 
wear  a  scarlet  coat  as  well  as  another, "  returned  the  girl. 
"I  wish  I  could  see  you  in  this  handsome  garment." 

"See  me  in  a  coat  fit  for  a  lord!  Well,  Judith,  if  you 
wait  till  that  day,  you'll  wait  until  you  see  me  beyond 
reason  and  memory.  No — no — gal,  my  gifts  are  my  gifts, 
and  I'll  live  and  die  in  'em,  though  I  never  bring  down 
another  deer  or  spear  another  salmon.  What  have  I  done 
that  you  should  wish  to  see  me  in  such  a  flaunting  coat, 
Judith?" 


THE   DEERSLAYER  207 

"Because  I  think,  Deerslayer,  that  the  false-tongued 
and  false-hearted  young  gallants  of  the  garrison  ought 
not  alone  to  appear  in  fine  feathers;  but  that  truth  and 
honesty  have  their  claims  to  be  honored  and  exalted." 

"And  what  exaltification" — the  reader  will  have  re 
marked  that  Deerslayer  had  not  very  critically  studied 
his  dictionary — "And  what  exaltification  would  it  be  to 
me,  Judith,  to  be  bedizened  and  bescarleted  like  a  Mingo 
chief  that  has  just  got  his  presents  up  from  Quebec?  No 
—no— I'm  well  as  I  am;  and  if  not,  I  can  be  no  better. 
Lay  the  coat  down  on  the  blanket,  Sarpent,  and  let  us 
look  further  into  the  chist." 

The  tempting  garment,  one  surely  that  was  never  in 
tended  for  Hutter,  was  laid  aside,  and  the  examination 
proceeded.  The  male  attire,  all  of  which  corresponded 
with  the  coat  in  quality,  was  soon  exhausted,  and  then 
succeeded  female.  A  beautiful  dress  of  brocade,  a  little 
the  worse  from  negligent  treatment,  followed;  and  this 
time  open  exclamations  of  delight  escaped  the  lips  of 
Judith.  Much  as  the  girl  had  been  addicted  to  dress,  and 
favorable  as  had  been  her  opportunities  of  seeing  some 
little  pretension  in  that  way,  among  the  wives  of  the 
different  commandants,  and  other  ladies  of  the  forts, 
never  before  had  she  beheld  a  tissue  or  tints  to  equal 
those  that  were  now  so  unexpectedly  placed  before  her 
eyes.  Her  rapture  was  almost  childish;  nor  would  she 
allow  the  inquiry  to  proceed  until  she  had  attired  her 
person  in  a  robe  so  unsuited  to  her  habits  and  her  abode. 
With  this  end,  she  withdrew  into  her  own  room,  where, 
with  hands  practised  in  such  offices,  she  soon  got  rid  of 
her  own  neat  gown  of  linen,  and  stood  forth  in  the  gay 
tints  of  the  brocade.  The  dress  happened  to  fit  the  fine' 
full  person  of  Judith,  and  certainly  it  had  never  adorned  a  I 
being  better  qualified  by  natural  gifts  to  do  credit  to  its 
really  rich  hues  and  fine  texture.  When  she  returned, 
both  Deerslayer  and  Chingachgook,  who  had  passed  the 
brief  time  of  her  absence  in  taking  a  second  look  at  the 
female  garments,  arose  in  surprise,  each  permitting  ex 
clamations  of  wonder  and  pleasure  to  escape  him,  in  a 
way  so  unequivocal  as  to  add  new  luster  to  the  eyes  of 
Judith,  by  flushing  her  cheeks  with  a  glow  of  triumph. 


208  THE   DEERSLAYER 

Affecting,  however,  not  to  notice  the  impression  she  had 
made,  the  girl  seated  herself  with  the  stateliness  of  a 
queen,  desiring  that  the  chest  might  be  looked  into 
further. 

"I  don't  know  a  better  way  to  treat  with  the  Mingoes, 
gal,"  cried  Deerslayer,  "than  to  send  you  ashore  as  you 
be,  and  to  tell  'em  that  a  queen  has  arrived  among  'em! 
They'll  give  up  old  Hutter  and  Hurry,  and  Hetty,  too,  at 
such  a  spectacle!" 

"I  thought  your  tongue  too  honest  to  flatter,  Deer- 
slayer,"  returned  the  girl,  gratified  at  this  admiration 
more  than  she  would  have  cared  to  own.  "One  of  the 
chief  reasons  of  my  respect  for  you  was  your  love  for 
truth." 

"And  'tis  truth,  and  solemn  truth,  Judith,  and  nothing 
else.  Never  did  eyes  of  mine  gaze  on  as  glorious  a  lookin' 
creatur'  as  you  be  yourself,  at  this  very  moment.  I've 
seen  beauties  in  my  time,  too,  both  white  and  red;  and 
them  that  was  renowned  and  talked  of  far  and  near;  but 
never  have  I  beheld  one  that  could  hold  any  comparison 
with  what  you  are  at  this  blessed  instant,  Judith,  never." 

The  glance  of  delight  which  the  girl  bestov/ed  on  the 
frank-speaking  hunter  in  no  degree  lessened  the  effect  of 
her  charms;  and  as  the  humid  eyes  blended  with  it  a  look 
of  sensibility,  perhaps  Judith  never  appeared  more  truly 
lovely  than  at  what  the  young  man  had  called  that  "blessed 
instant."  He  shook  his  head,  held  it  suspended  a  moment 
over  the  open  chest  like  one  in  doubt,  and  then  proceeded 
with  the  examination. 

Several  of  the  minor  articles  of  female  dress  came  next, 
all  of  a  quality  to  correspond  with  the  gown.  These  were 
laid  at  Judith's  feet,  in  silence  as  if  she  had  a  natural 
claim  to  their  possession.  One  or  two,  such  as  gloves  and 
lace,  the  girl  caught  up  and  appended  to  her  already  rich 
attire,  in  affected  playfulness,  but  with  the  real  design  of 
decorating  her  person  as  far  as  circumstances  would  al 
low.  When  these  two  remarkable  suits,  male  and  female 
they  might  be  termed,  were  removed,  another  canvas  cov 
ering  separated  the  remainder  of  the  articles  from  the 
part  of  the  chest  which  they  had  occupied.  As  soon  as 
Deerslayer  perceived  this  arrangement,  he  paused,  doubt 
ful  of  the  propriety  of  proceeding  any  further. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  209 

"Every  man  has  his  secrets,  I  suppose,"  he  said,  "and 
all  men  have  a  right  to  their  enj'yment;  we've  got  low 
enough  in  this  chist,  in  my  judgment,  to  answer  our 
wants,  and  it  seems  to  me  we  should  do  well  by  going  no 
further;  and  by  letting  Master  Hutter  have  to  himself 
and  his  own  feelin's  all  that's  beneath  this  cover." 

"Do  you  mean,  Deerslayer,  to  offer  these  clothes  to  the 
Iroquois  as  ransom?"  demanded  Judith,  quickly. 

"Sartain.  What  are  we  prying  into  another  man's 
chist  for,  but-  to  sarve  its  owner  in  the  best  way  we  can? 
This  coat,  alone,  would  be  very  apt  to  gain  over  the  head- 
chief  of  the  riptyles;  and  if  his  wife  or  darter  should 
happen  to  be  out  with  him,  that  there  gownd  would 
soften  the  heart  of  any  woman  that  is  to  be  found  at  ween 
Albany  and  Montreal.  I  do  not  see  that  we  want  a  larger 
stock  in  trade  than  them  two  articles. ' ' 

"To  you  it  may  seem  so,  Deerslayer,"  returned  the  dis 
appointed  girl;  "but  of  what  use  could  a  dress  like  this 
be  to  any  Indian  woman?  She  could  not  wear  it  among 
the  branches  of  the  trees;  the  dirt  and  smoke  of  the  wig 
wam  would  soon  soil  it;  and  how  would  a  pair  of  red  arms 
appear  thrust  through  these  short,  laced  sleeves!" 

"All  very  true,  gal;  and  you  might  go  on  and  say  it 
is  altogether  out  of  time,  and  place,  and  season,  in  this 
region  at  all.  What  is  it  to  us  how  the  finery  is  treated, 
so  long  as  it  answers  our  wishes?  I  do  not  see  that  your 
father  can  make  any  use  of  such  clothes;  and  it's  lucky 
he  has  things  that  are  of  no  valie  to  himself,  that  will 
bear  a  high  price  with  others.  We  can  make  no  better 
trade  for  him  than  to  offer  these  duds  for  his  liberty. 
We'll  throw  in  the  light  frivol'ties,  and  get  Hurry  off  in 
the  bargain!" 

"Then  you  think,  Deerslayer,  that  Thomas  Hutter  has 
no  one  in  his  family — no  child — no  daughter,  to  whom 
this  dress  may  be  thought  becoming,  and  whom  you  could 
wish  to  see  in  it  once  and  a  while,  even  though  it  should 
be  at  long  intervals,  and  only  in  playfulness?" 

"I  understand    you,    Judith — yes,    I  now  understand 

your  meaning;  and  I  think  I  can  say,  your  wishes.     That 

you  are  as  glorious  in  that  dress  as  the  sun  when  it  rises 

or  sets  in  a  soft  October  day,  I'm  ready  to  allow;  and  that 

14 


210  THE   DEERSLAYER 

you  greatly  become  it  is  a  good  deal  more  sartain  than 
that  it  becomes  you.  There's  gifts  in  clothes  as  well  as 
in  other  things.  Now  I  do  not  think  that  a  warrior  on 
his  first  path  ought  to  lay  on  the  same  awful  paints  as  a 
chief  that  has  had  his  virtue  tried,  and  knows  from  ex- 
per'ence  he  will  not  disgrace  his  pretensions.  So  it  is 
with  all  of  us,  red  or  white.  You  are  Thomas  Hutter's 
darter,  and  that  gownd  was  made  for  the  child  of  some 
governor,  or  a  lady  of  high  station;  and  it  was  intended 
to  be  worn  among  fine  furniture  and  in  rich  company.  In 
my  eyes,  Judith,  a  modest  maiden  never  looks  more 
becoming  than  when  becomingly  clad,  and  nothing  is 
suitable  that  is  out  of  character.  Besides,  gal,  if  there's 
a  creatur'  in  the  colony  that  can  afford  to  do  without  fin 
ery,  and  to  trust  to  her  own  good  looks  and  sweet  coun 
tenance  it's  yourself." 

"I'll  take  off  the  rubbish  this  instant  Deerslayer, "  cried 
the  girl  springing  up  to  leave  the  room;  "and  never  do  I 
wish  to  see  it  on  any  human  being  again." 

"So  it  is  with  'em  all  Sarpent,"  said  the  other,  turning 
to  his  friend  and  laughing  as  soon  as  the  beauty  had  dis 
appeared.  "They  like  finery  but  they  like  their  natyve 
charms  most  of  all.  I'm  glad  the  gal  has  consented  to  lay 
aside  her  furbelows  hows'ever  for  it's  ag'in  reason  for  one 
of  her  class  to  wear  'em;  and  then  she  is  handsome 
enough  as  I  call  it  to  go  alone.  Hist  would  show  oncom- 
mon  likely,  too,  in  such  a  gownd,  Delaware!" 

"Wah-ta-Wah  is  a  red-skin  girl,  Deerslayer,"  returned 
the  Indian;  "like  the  young  of  the  pigeon  she  is  to  be 
known  by  her  own  feathers.  I  should  pass  by  without 
knowing  her,  were  she  dressed  in  such  a  skin.  It's  wisest 
always  to  be  so  clad  that  our  friends  need  not  ask  us  for 
our  name.  The  Wild  Rose  is  very  pleasant,  but  she  is 
no  sweeter  for  so  many  colors." 

"That's  it!  that's  natur',  and  the  true  foundation  for 
love  and  protection.  When  a  man  stops  to  pick  a  wild 
strawberry,  he  does  not  expect  to  find  a  melon;  and  when 
he  wishes  to  gather  a  melon,  he's  disapp'inted  if  it  proves 
to  be  a  squash;  though  squashes  be  often  brighter  to  the 
eye  than  melons.  That's  it,  and  it  means,  stick  to  your 
gifts  and  your  gifts  will  stick  to  you." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  211 

The  two  men  had  now  a  little  discussion  together, 
touching  the  propriety  of  penetrating  any  further  into 
the  chest  of  Hutter,  when  Judith  reappeared,  divested  of 
her  robes,  and  in  her  own  simple  linen  frock  again. 

"Thank  you,  Judith,"  said  Deerslayer,  taking  her 
kindly  by  the  hand;  "for  I  know  it  went  a  little  ag'in 
the  nat'ral  cravings  of  woman  to  lay  aside  so  much  finery 
as  it  might  be  in  a  lump.  But  you're  more  pleasing  to 
the  eye  as  you  stand,  you  be,  than  if  you  had  a  crown  on 
your  head,  and  jewels  dangling  from  your  hair.  The 
question  now  is,  whether  to  lift  this  covering,  to  see 
what  will  be  ra'ally  the  best  bargain  we  can  make  for 
Master  Hutter;  for  we  must  do  as  we  think  he  would  be 
willing  to  do,  did  he  stand  here  in  our  places." 

Judith  looked  very  happy.  Accustomed  as  she  was  to 
adulation,  the  humble  homage  of  Deerslayer  had  given 
her  more  true  satisfaction  than  she  had  ever  yet  received 
from  the  tongue  of  man.  It  was  not  the  terms  in  which 
this  admiration  had  been  expressed,  for  they  were  simple 
enough,  that  produced  so  strong  an  impression;  nor  yet 
their  novelty,  or  their  warmth  of  manner,  nor  any  of 
those  peculiarities  that  usually  give  value  to  praise;  but 
the  unflinching  truth  of  the  speaker,  that  carried  his 
words  so  directly  to  the  heart  of  the  listener.  This  is 
one  of  the  great  advantages  of  plain  dealing  and  frank 
ness.  The  habitual  and  wily  flatterer  may  succeed  until 
his  practises  recoil  on  himself,  and,  like  other  sweets,  his 
aliment  cloys  by  its  excess;  but  he  who  deals  honestly, 
though  he  often  necessarily  offend,  possesses  a  power  of 
praising  that  no  quality  but  sincerity  can  bestow;  since 
his  words  go  directly  to  the  heart,  finding  their  support 
in  the  understanding.  Thus  it  was  with  Deerslayer  and 
Judith;  so  soon  and  so  deeply  did  this  simple  hunter  im 
press  those  who  knew  him  with  a  conviction  of  his  un 
bending  honesty,  that  all  he  uttered  in  commendation  was 
as  certain  to  please,  as  all  he  uttered  in  the  way  of  re 
buke  was  as  certain  to  rankle  and  excite  enmity  where 
his  character  had  not  awakened  a  respect  and  affection, 
that  in  another  sense  rendered  it  painful.  In  after  life, 
when  the  career  of  this  untutored  being  brought  him  in 
contact  with  officers  of  rank,  and  others  intrusted  with 


212  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  care  of  the  interests  of  the  state,  this  same  influence 
was  exerted  on  a  wider  field;  even  generals  listening  to 
his  commendations  with  a  glow  of  pleasure  that  it  was 
not  always  in  the  power  of  their  official  superiors  to 
awaken.  Perhaps  Judith  was  the  first  individual  of  his 
own  color  who  fairly  submitted  to  this  natural  conse 
quence  of  truth  and  fair  dealing,  on  the  part  of  Deer- 
slayer.  She  had  actually  pined  for  his  praise,  and  she 
had  now  received  it;  and  that  in  the  form  which  was 
most  agreeable  to  her  weaknesses  and  habits  of  thought. 
The  result  will  appear  in  the  course  of  the  narrative. 

"If  we  knew  all  that  chest  holds,  Deerslayer, "  returned 
the  girl,  when  she  had  a  little  recovered  from  the  imme 
diate  effect  produced  by  his  commendations  of  her  per 
sonal  appearance,  "we  could  better  determine  on  the 
course  we  ought  to  take. ' ' 

"That's  not  onreasonable,  gal,  though  it's  more  a  pale 
face  than  a  red-skin  gift  to  be  prying  into  other  people's 
secrets. ' ' 

"Curiosity  is  natural,  and  it  is  expected  that  all  human 
beings  should  have  human  failings.  Whenever  I've  been 
at  the  garrisons,  I've  found  that  most,  in  and  about  them, 
had  a  longing  to  learn  their  neighbor's  secrets." 

"Yes,  and  sometimes  to  fancy  them,  when  they  couldn't 
find  'em  out!  That's  the  difference  atween  an  Indian 
gentleman  and  a  white  gentleman.  The  Sarpent,  here, 
would  turn  his  head  aside,  if  he  found  himself  onknow- 
ingly  lookin'  into  another  chief's  wigwam;  whereas,  in 
the  settlements,  while  all  pretend  to  be  great  people, 
most  prove  they've  got  betters,  by  the  manner  in  which 
they  talk  of  their  consarns.  I'll  be  bound,  Judith,  you 
wouldn't  get  the  Sarpent,  there,  to  confess  there  was 
another  in  the  tribe  so  much  greater  than  himself,  as  to 
become  the  subject  of  his  idees,  and  to  empl'y  his  tongue 
in  conversations  about  his  movements,  and  ways,  and 
food,  and  all  the  other  little  matters  that  occupy  a  man 
when  he's  not  empl'yed  in  his  greater  duties.  He  who 
does  this  is  but  little  better  than  a  blackguard  in  the 
grain,  and  them  that  encourages  him  is  pretty  much  of 
the  same  kidney,  let  them  wear  coats  as  fine  as  they  may, 
or  of  what  dye  they  please." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  213 

"But  this  is  not  another  man's  wigwam;  it  belongs  to 
my  father;  these  are  his  things,  and  they  are  wanted  in 
his  service." 

"That's  true,  gal,  that's  true;  and  it  carries  weight 
with  it.  Well,  when  all  is  before  us,  we  may,  indeed, 
best  judge  which  to  offer  for  the  ransom,  and  which  to 
withhold." 

Judith  was  not  altogether  as  disinterested  in  her  feel 
ings  as  she  affected  to  be.  She  remembered  that  the 
curiosity  of  Hetty  had  been  indulged,  in  connection  with 
this  chest,  while  her  own  had  been  disregarded;  and  she 
was  not  sorry  to  possess  an  opportunity  of  being  placed 
on  a  level  with  her  less  gifted  sister,  in  this  one  particu 
lar.  It  appearing  to  be  admitted  all  round  that  the  in 
quiry  into  the  contents  of  the  chest  ought  to  be  renewed, 
Deerslayer  proceeded  to  remove  the  second  covering  of 
canvas. 

The  articles  that  lay  uppermost,  when  the  curtain  was 
again  raised  on  the  secrets  of  the  chest,  were  a  pair  of 
pistols,  curiously  inlaid  with  silver.  Their  value  would 
have  been  considerable  in  one  of  the  towns,  though  as 
weapons,  in  the  woods,  they  were  a  species  of  arms  seldom 
employed;  never  indeed,  unless  it  might  be  by  some 
officer  from  Europe,  who  visited  the  colonies,  as  many 
were  then  wont  to  do,  so  much  impressed  with  the  supe 
riority  of  the  usages  of  London,  as  to  fancy  they  were 
not  to  be  laid  aside  on  the  frontiers  of  America.  What 
occurred  on  the  discovery  of  these  weapons  will  appear 
in  the  succeeding  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

"  An  oaken,  broken,  elbow  chair  ; 
A  caudle-cup  without  an  ear  ; 
A  battered,  shattered,  ash  bedstead  : 
A  box  of  deal  without  a  lid  ; 
A  pair  of  tongs,  but  out  of  joint ; 
A  back-sword  poker,  without  point ; 
A  dish  which  might  good  meat  afford  once ; 
An  Ovid,  and  an  old  Concordance." 

—  DEAN  SWIFT'S  INVENTORY. 

No  sooner  did  Deerslayer  raise  the  pistols,  than  he 
turned  to  the  Delaware,  and  held  them  up  for  his  admi 
ration. 

"Child  gun,"  said  the  Serpent,  smiling,  while  he 
handled  one  of  the  instruments  as  if  it  had  been  a  toy. 

"Not  it,  Sarpent;  not  it.  'Tis  made  for  a  man,  and 
would  satisfy  a  giant  if  rightly  used.  But  stop;  white 
men  are  remarkable  for  their  carelessness  in  putting  away 
fire-arms  in  chists  and  corners.  Let  me  look  if  care  has 
been  given  to  these." 

As  Deerslayer  spoke,  he  took  the  weapon  from  the  hand 
of  his  friend  and  opened  the  pan.  The  last  was  filled  with 
priming,  caked  like  a  bit  of  cinder,  by  time,  moisture, 
and  compression.  An  application  of  the  ramrod  showed 
that  both  the  pistols  were  charged,  although  Judith  could 
testify  that  they  had  probably  lain  for  years  in  the  chest. 
It  is  not  easy  to  portray  the  surprise  of  the  Indian  at  this 
discovery,  for  he  was  in  the  practise  of  renewing  his 
priming  daily,  and  of  looking  to  the  contents  of  his  piece 
at  other  short  intervals. 

"This  is  white  neglect,"  said  Deerslayer,  shaking  his 
head,  "and  scarce  a  season  goes  by  that  some  one  in  the 
settlements  doesn't  suffer  from  it.  It's  extr'ornary,  too, 
Judith — yes,  it's  downright  extr'ornary  that  the  owner 
shall  fire  his  piece  at  a  deer,  or  some  other  game,  or  per 
haps  at  an  inimy,  and  twice  out  of  three  times  he'll  miss, 
but  let  him  catch  an  accident  with  one  of  these  forgotten 
charges,  and  he  makes  it  sartain  death  to  a  child,  or  a 

214 


THE   DEERSLAYER  215 

brother,  or  a  fri'nd!  Well,  we  shall  do  a  good  turn  to 
the  owner  if  we  fire  these  pistols  for  him;  and  as  they're 
novelties  to  you  and  me,  Sarpent,  we'll  try  our  hand  at  a 
mark.  Freshen  that  priming,  and  I'll  do  the  same  with 
this,  and  then  we'll  see  who  is  the  best  man  with  a  pistol; 
as  for  the  rifle,  that's  long  been  settled  atween  us." 

Deerslayer  laughed  heartily  at  his  own  conceit,  and,  in 
a  minute  or  two,  they  were  both  standing  on  the  platform, 
selecting  some  object  in  the  ark  for  their  target.  Judith 
was  led  by  curiosity  to  their  side. 

"Stand  back,  gal,  stand  a  little  back;  these  we'pons 
have  been  long  loaded,"  said  Deerslayer,  "and  some  acci 
dent  may  happen  in  the  discharge." 

"Then  you  shall  not  fire  them!  Give  them  both  to  the 
Delaware;  or  it  would  be  better  to  unload  them  without 
firing." 

"That's  ag'in  usage — and  some  people  say  ag'in  man 
hood;  though  I  hold  to  no  such  silly  doctrine.  We  must 
fire  'em,  Judith;  yes,  we  must  fire  'em;  though  I  foresee 
that  neither  will  have  any  great  reason  to  boast  of  his 
skill." 

Judith,  in  the  main,  was  a  girl  of  great  personal  spirit, 
and  her  habits  prevented  her  from  feeling  any  of  the 
terror  that  is  apt  to  come  over  her  sex  at  the  report  of 
fire-arms.  She  had  discharged  many  a  rifle,  and  had  even 
been  known  to  kill  a  deer,  under  circumstances  that  were 
favorable  to  the  effort.  She  submitted  therefore,  falling 
a  little  back  by  the  side  of  Deerslayer,  giving  the  Indian 
the  front  of  the  platform  to  himself.  Chingachgook  raised 
the  weapon  several  times,  endeavored  to  steady  it  by  using 
both  hands,  changed  his  attitude,  from  one  that  was  awk 
ward  to  another  still  more  so,  and  finally  drew  the  trigger 
with  a  sort  of  desperate  indifference,  without  having,  in 
reality,  secured  any  aim  at  all.  The  consequence  was, 
that  instead  of  hitting  the  knot,  which  had  been  selected 
for  the  mark,  he  missed  the  mark  altogether;  the  bullet 
skipping  along  the  water  like  a  stone  that  was  thrown  by 
hand. 

"Well  done!  Sarpent;  well  done!"  cried  Deerslayer, 
laughing  with  his  noiseless  glee,  "you've  hit  the  lake, 
and  that's  an  expl'ite,  for  some  men!  I  know'd  it;  and 


216  THE   DEERSLAYER 

as  much  as  said  it  here,  to  Judith;  for  your  short  we'pons 
don't  belong  to  red-skin  gifts.  You've  hit  the  lake,  and 
that's  better  than  only  hitting  the  air!  Now,  stand  back, 
and  let  us  see  what  white  gifts  can  do  with  a  white 
we'pon.  A  pistol  isn't  a  rifle;  but  color  is  color." 

The  aim  of  Deerslayer  was  both  quick  and  steady,  and 
the  report  followed  almost  as  soon  as  the  weapon  rose. 
Still  the  pistol  hung  fire,  as  it  is  termed,  and  fragments 
of  it  flew  in  a  dozen  directions,  some  falling  on  the  roof 
of  the  castle,  others  in  the  ark,  and  one  in  the  water. 
Judith  screamed,  and  when  the  two  men  turned  anxiously 
towards  the  girl,  she  was  as  pale  as  death,  trembling  in 
every  limb. 

"She's  wounded — yes,  the  poor  gal's  wounded,  Sarpent, 
though  one  couldn't  foresee  it,  standing  where  she  did. 
We'll  lead  her  in  to  a  seat,  and  we  must  do  the  best  for 
her  that  our  knowledge  and  skill  can  afford." 

Judith  allowed  herself  to  be  supported  to  a  seat,  swal 
lowed  a  mouthful  of  the  water  that  the  Delaware  offered 
to  her  in  a  gourd,  and  after  a  violent  fit  of  trembling, 
that  seemed  ready  to  shake  her  fine  frame  to  dissolution, 
she  burst  into  tears. 

"The  pain  must  be  borne,  poor  Judith — yes,  it  must  be 
borne,"  said  Deerslayer,  soothingly;  "though  I  am  far 
from  wishing  you  not  to  weep;  for  weeping  often  light 
ens  galish  feelin's.  Where  can  she  be  hurt,  Sarpent?  I 
see  no  signs  of  blood,  nor  any  rent  of  skin  or  garments." 

"I  am  uninjured,  Deerslayer,"  stammered  the  girl 
through  her  tears.  "It's  fright — nothing  more,  I  do 
assure  you;  and,  God  be  praised!  no  one,  I  find,  has  been 
harmed  by  the  accident." 

"This  is  extr'ornary!"  exclaimed  the  unsuspecting  and 
simple-minded  hunter.  "I  thought,  Judith,  you'd  been 
above  settlement  weaknesses,  and  that  you  was  a  gal  not 
to  be  frightened  by  the  sound  of  a  bursting  we'pon.  No, 
I  didn't  think  you  so  skeary!  Hetty  might  well  have 
been  startled;  but  you've  too  much  judgment  and  reason 
to  be  frightened  when  the  danger's  all  over.  They're 
pleasant  to  the  eye,  chief,  and  changeful,  but  very  unsar- 
tain  in  their  feelin's!" 

Shame  kept  Judith  silent.     There  had  been  no  acting 


THE   DEERSLAYER  217 

in  her  agitation,  but  all  had  fairly  proceeded  from  sudden 
and  uncontrollable  alarm — an  alarm  that  she  found  almost 
as  inexplicable  to  herself,  as  it  proved  to  be  to  her  com 
panions.  Wiping  away  the  traces  of  tears,  however,  she 
smiled  again,  and  was  soon  able  to  join  in  the  laugh  at  her 
own  folly. 

"And  you,  Deerslayer,"  she  at  length  succeeded  in 
saying,  "are  you,  indeed,  altogether  unhurt?  It  seems 
almost  miraculous  that  a  pistol  should  have  burst  in  your 
hand,  and  you  escape  without  the  loss  of  a  limb,  if  not  of 
life!" 

"Such  wonders  aren't  oncommon,  at  all,  among  worn- 
out  arms.  The  first  rifle  they  gave  me  played  the  same 
trick,  and  yet  I  lived  through  it,  though  not  as  onharm- 
less  as  I've  got  out  of  this  affair.  Thomas  Hutter  is 
master  of  one  pistol  less  than  he  was  this  morning;  but 
as  it  happened  in  trying  to  sarve  him,  there's  no  ground 
of  complaint.  Now,  draw  near,  and  let  us  look  further 
into  the  inside  of  the  chist." 

Judith,  by  this  time,  had  so  far  got  the  better  of  her 
agitation  as  to  resume  her  seat,  and  the  examination  went 
on.  The  next  article  that  offered  was  enveloped  in  cloth, 
and,  on  opening  it,  it  proved  to  be  one  of  the  mathematical 
instruments  that  were  then  in  use  among  seamen,  possess 
ing  the  usual  ornaments  and  fastenings  in  brass.  Deer- 
slayer  and  Chingachgook  expressed  their  admiration  and 
surprise  at  the  appearance  of  the  unknown  instrument, 
which  was  bright  and  glittering,  having  apparently  been 
well  cared  for. 

"This  goes  beyond  the  surveyors,  Judith!"  Deerslayer 
exclaimed,  after  turning  the  instrument  several  times  in 
his  hands.  "I've  seen  all  their  tools  often,  and  wicked 
and  heartless  enough  are  they,  for  they  never  come  into 
the  forest  but  to  lead  the  way  to  waste  and  destruction; 
but  none  of  them  have  as  designing  a  look  as  this!  I 
fear  me,  after  all,  that  Thomas  Hutter  has  journeyed  into 
the  wilderness  with  no  fair  intentions  towards  its  happi 
ness.  Did  you  ever  see  any  of  the  cravings  of  a  surveyor 
about  your  father,  gal  ? ' ' 

"He  is  no  surveyor,  Deerslayer,  nor  does  he  know  the 
use  of  that  instrument,  though  he  seems  to  own  it.  Do 


218  THE   DEERSLAYER 

you  suppose  that  Thomas  Hutter  ever  wore  that  coat?  It 
is  as  much  too  large  for  him  as  this  instrument  is  beyond 
his  learning." 

"That's  it — that  must  be  it,  Sarpent;  and  the  old  fel 
low,  by  some  onknown  means,  has  fallen  heir  to  another 
man's  goods!  They  say  he  has  been  a  mariner,  and  no 
doubt  this  chist  and  all  it  holds — Ha!  what  have  we 
here?  This  far  outdoes  the  brass  and  black  wood  of  the 
tool!" 

Deerslayer  had  opened  a  small  bag,  from  which  he  was 
taking,  one  by  one,  the  pieces  of  a  set  of  chessmen.  They 
were  of  ivory,  much  larger  than  common,  and  exquisitely 
wrought.  Each  piece  represented  the  character  or  thing 
after  which  it  is  named;  the  knights  being  mounted,  the 
castles  stood  on  elephants,  and  even  the  pawns  possessed 
the  heads  and  busts  of  men.  The  set  was  not  complete, 
and  a  few  fractures  betrayed  bad  usage;  but  all  that  was 
left  had  been  carefully  put  away  and  preserved.  Even 
Judith  expressed  wonder  as  these  novel  objects  were  placed 
before  her  eyes,  and  Chingachgook  fairly  forgot  his  Indian 
dignity  in  admiration  and  delight.  The  latter  took  up 
each  piece  and  examined  it  with  never-tiring  satisfaction, 
pointing  out  to  the  girl  the  more  ingenious  and  striking 
portions  of  the  workmanship.  But  the  elephants  gave 
him  the  greatest  pleasure.  The  "Hughs ! ' '  that  he  uttered 
as  he  passed  his  fingers  over  their  trunks  and  ears  and 
tails  were  very  distinct;  nor  did  he  fail  to  note  the  pawns, 
which  were  armed  as  archers.  This  exhibition  lasted 
several  minutes,  during  which  time  Judith  and  the  Indian 
had  all  the  rapture  to  themselves.  Deerslayer  sat  silent, 
thoughtful,  and  even  gloomy,  though  his  eyes  followed 
each  movement  of  the  two  principal  actors,  noting  every 
new  peculiarity  about  the  pieces  as  they  were  held  up  to 
view.  Not  an  exclamation  of  pleasure  nor  a  word  of  con 
demnation  passed  his  lips.  At  length  his  companion  ob 
served  his  silence,  and  then,  for  the  first  time  since  the 
chessmen  had  been  discovered,  did  he  speak. 

"Judith,"  he  asked  earnestly,  but  with  a  concern  that 
amounted  almost  to  tenderness  of  manner,  "did  your 
parents  ever  talk  to  you  of  religion?" 

The  girl  colored,  and  the  flashes  of  crimson  that  passed 


THE   DEERSLAYER  219 

over  her  beautiful  countenance  were  like  the  wayward 
tints  of  a  Neapolitan  sky  in  November.  Deerslayer  had 
given  her  so  strong  a  taste  for  truth,  however,  that  she 
did  not  waver  in  her  answer,  replying  simply  and  with 
sincerity: 

"My  mother  did,  often,"  she  said;  "my  father,  never. 
I  thought  it  made  my  mother  sorrowful  to  speak  of  our 
prayers  and  duties,  but  my  father  has  never  opened  his 
mouth  on  such  matters  before  or  since  her  death. ' ' 

"That  I  can  believe — that  I  can  believe.  He  has  no  God 
— no  such  God  as  it  becomes  a  man  of  white  skin  to  wor 
ship,  or  even  a  red-skin.  Them  things  are  idols!" 

Judith  started,  and  for  a  moment  she  seemed  seriously 
hurt.  Then  she  reflected,  and  in  the  end  she  laughed. 

"And  you  think,  Deerslayer,  that  these  ivory  toys  are 
my  father's  gods?  I  have  heard  of  idols,  and  know  what 
they  are." 

"Them  are  idols!"  repeated  the  other  positively. 
"Why  should  your  father  keep  'em  if  he  doesn't  worship 
'em?" 

"Would  he  keep  his  gods  in  a  bag,  and  locked  up  in  a 
chest?  No,  no,  Deerslayer;  my  poor  father  carries  his 
god  with  him  wherever  he  goes,  and  that  is  in  his  own 
cravings.  These  things  may  really  be  idols — I  think  they 
are,  myself,  from  what  I  have  heard  and  read  of  idolatry, 
but  they  have  come  from  some  distant  country,  like  all 
the  other  articles,  and  have  fallen  into  Thomas  Hutter's 
hands  when  he  was  a  sailor." 

"I'm  glad  of  it — I  am  downright  glad  to  hear  it,  Ju 
dith,  for  I  do  not  think  I  could  have  mustered  the  reso 
lution  to  strive  to  help  a  white  idolater  out  of  his  diffi 
culties.  The  old  man  is  of  my  color  and  nation,  and  I 
wish  to  sarve  him;  but  as  one  who  denied  all  his  gifts  in 
the  way  of  religion,  it  would  have  come  hard  to  do  so. 
That  animal  seems  to  give  you  great  satisfaction,  Sarpent, 
though  it's  an  idolatrous  head,  at  the  best." 

"It  is  an  elephant,"  interrupted  Judith;  "I've  often 
seen  pictures  of  such  animals  at  the  garrisons;  and  mother 
had  a  book  in  which  there  was  a  printed  account  of  the 
creature.  Father  burnt  that,  with  all  the  other  books, 
for  he  said  mother  loved  reading  too  well.  This  was  not 


220  THE   DEERSLAYER 

long  before  mother  died,  and  I've  sometimes  thought  that 
the  loss  hastened  her  end." 

This  was  said  equally  without  levity  and  without  any 
deep  feeling.  It  was  said  without  levity,  for  Judith  was 
saddened  by  her  recollections,  and  yet  she  had  been  too 
much  accustomed  to  live  for  self,  and  for  the  indulgence 
of  her  own  vanities,  to  feel  her  mother's  wrongs  very 
heavily.  It  required  extraordinary  circumstances  to 
awaken  a  proper  sense  of  her  situation,  and  to  stimulate 
the  better  feelings  of  this  beautiful,  but  misguided  girl; 
and  these  circumstances  had  not  yet  occurred  in  her  brief 
existence. 

"Elephant,  or  no  elephant,  'tis  an  idol,"  returned  the 
hunter,  "and  not  fit  to  remain  in  Christian  keeping." 

"Good  for  Iroquois!"  said  Chingachgook,  parting  with 
one  of  the  castles  with  reluctance,  as  his  friend  took  it 
from  him  to  replace  it  in  the  bag.  "Elephon  buy  whole 
tribe — buy  Delaware,  almost!" 

"Ay,  that  it  would,  as  anyone  who  comprehends  red 
skin  natur'  must  know,"  answered  Deerslayer;  "but  the 
man  that  passes  false  money,  Sarpent,  is  as  bad  as  he  who 
makes  it.  Did  you  ever  know  a  just  Injin  that  wouldn't 
scorn  to  sell  a  coon-skin  for  the  true  marten,  or  to  pass 
off  a  mink  for  a  beaver.  I  know  that  a  few  of  these  idols, 
perhaps  one  of  them  elephants,  would  go  far  towards 
buying  Thomas  Mutter's  liberty,  but  it  goes  ag'in  con 
science  to  pass  such  counterfeit  money.  Perhaps  no  Injin 
tribe,  hereaway,  is  downright  idolaters,  but  there's  some 
that  come  so  near  it,  that  white  gifts  ought  to  be  partic 
ular  about  encouraging  them  in  their  mistake." 

"If  idolatry  is  a  gift,  Deerslayer,  and  gifts  are  what 
you  seem  to  think  them,  idolatry  in  such  people  can 
hardly  be  a  sin,"  said  Judith,  with  more  smartness  than 
discrimination. 

"God  grants  no  such  gifts  to  any  of  his  creatur's,  Ju 
dith,"  returned  the  hunter  seriously.  "He  must  be 
adored,  under  some  name  or  other,  and  not  creatur's  of 
brass  or  ivory.  It  matters  not  whether  the  Father  of  all 
is  called  God  or  Manitou,  Deity  or  Great  Spirit,  He  is 
none  the  less  our  common  Maker  and  Master;  nor  does  it 
count  for  much  whether  the  souls  of  the  just  go  to  Para- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  221 

dise  or  happy  hunting  grounds,  since  He  may  send  each 
His  own  way,  as  suits  His  own  pleasure  and  wisdom;  but 
it  curdles  my  blood,  when  I  find  human  mortals  so  bound 
up  in  darkness  and  consait,  as  to  fashion  the  'arth,  or 
wood,  or  bones — things  made  by  their  own  hands — into 
motionless,  senseless  effigies,  and  then  fall  down  before 
them,  and  worship  'em  as  a  Deity!" 

"After  all,  Deerslayer,  these  pieces  of  ivory  may  not  be 
idols  at  all.  I  remember,  now,  to  have  seen  one  of  the 
officers  at  the  garrison,  with  a  set  of  fox  and  geese  made 
in  some  such  a  design  as  these;  and  here  is  something 
hard,  wrapped  in  cloth,  that  may  belong  to  your  idols." 

Deerslayer  took  the  bundle  the  girl  gave  him,  and,  un 
rolling  it,  he  found  the  board  within.  Like  the  pieces,  it 
was  large,  rich,  and  inlaid  with  ebony  and  ivory.  Put 
ting  the  whole  in  conjunction,  the  hunter,  though  not 
without  many  misgivings,  slowly  came  over  to  Judith's 
opinion,  and  finally  admitted  that  the  fancied  idols  must 
be  merely  the  curiously  carved  men  of  some  unknown 
game.  Judith  had  the  tact  to  use  her  victory  with  great 
moderation;  nor  did  she  once,  even  in  the  most  indirect 
manner,  allude  to  the  ludicrous  mistake  of  her  companion. 

This  discovery  of  the  uses  of  the  extraordinary-looking 
little  images  settled  the  affair  of  the  proposed  ransom. 
It  was  agreed  generally— and  all  understood  the  weak 
nesses  and  tastes  of  Indians — that  nothing  could  be  more 
likely  to  tempt  the  cupidity  of  the  Iroquois,  than  the 
elephants,  in  particular.  Luckily,  the  whole  of  the  castles 
were  among  the  pieces,  and  these  four  tower-bearing 
animals  it  was  finally  determined  should  be  the  ransom 
offered.  The  remainder  of  the  men,  and,  indeed,  all  the 
rest  of  the  articles  in  the  chest,  were  to  be  kept  out  of 
view,  and  to  be  resorted  to  only  as  a  last  appeal.  As  soon 
as  these  preliminaries  were  settled,  everything  but  those 
intended  for  the  bribe  was  carefully  replaced  in  the  chest, 
and  all  the  covers  were  "tucked  in"  as  they  had  been 
found;  and  it  was  quite  possible,  could  Hutter  have  been 
put  in  possession  of  the  castle  again,  that  he  might  have 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  it,  without  even  sus 
pecting  the  invasion  that  had  been  made  on  the  privacy 
of  the  chest.  The  rent  pistol  would  have  been  the  most 


222  THE   DEERSLAYER 

likely  to  reveal  the  secret;  but  this  was  placed  by  the 
side  of  its  fellow,  and  all  were  pressed  down  as  before — 
some  half  a  dozen  packages  in  the  bottom  of  the  chest 
not  having  been  opened  at  all.  When  this  was  done,  the 
lid  was  lowered,  the  padlocks  replaced,  and  the  key  turned. 
The  latter  was  then  replaced  in  the  pocket  from  which  it 
had  been  taken. 

More  than  an  hour  was  consumed  in  settling  the  course 
proper  to  be  pursued,  and  in  returning  everything  to  its 
place.  The  pauses  to  converse  were  frequent ;  and  Judith, 
who  experienced  a  lively  pleasure  in  the  open,  undis 
guised  admiration  with  which  Deerslayer's  honest  eye 
gazed  at  her  handsome  face,  found  the  means  to  prolong 
the  interview,  with  a  dexterity  that  seems  to  be  innate  in 
female  coquetry.  Deerslayer,  indeed,  appeared  to  be  the 
first  who  was  conscious  of  the  time  that  had  been  thus 
wasted,  and  to  call  the  attention  of  his  companions  to  the 
necessity  of  doing  something  towards  putting  the  plan  of 
ransoming  into  execution.  Chingachgook  had  remained 
in  Hutter's  bedroom,  where  the  elephants  were  laid,  to 
feast  his  eyes  with  the  images  of  animals  so  wonderful 
and  so  novel.  Perhaps  an  instinct  told  him  that  his 
presence  would  not  be  as  acceptable  to  his  companions  as 
this  holding  himself  aloof;  for  Judith  had  not  much  re 
serve  in  the  manifestations  of  her  preferences,  and  the 
Delaware  had  not  got  so  far  as  one  betrothed  without  ac 
quiring  some  knowledge  of  the  symptoms  of  the  master 
passion. 

"Well,  Judith,"  said  Deerslayer,  rising,  after  the  in 
terview  had  lasted  much  longer  than  even  he  himself  sus 
pected,  "  'tis  pleasant  convarsing  with  you,  and  settling 
all  these  matters,  but  duty  calls  us  another  way.  All  this 
time,  Hurry  and  your  father,  not  to  say  Hetty — 

The  word  was  cut  short  in  the  speaker's  mouth,  for  at 
that  critical  moment,  a  light  step  was  heard  on  the  plat 
form  or  courtyard,  a  human  figure  darkened  the  doorway, 
and  the  person  last  mentioned  stood  before  him.  The 
low  exclamation  that  escaped  Deerslayer,  and  the  slight 
scream  of  Judith  were  hardly  uttered,  when  an  Indian 
youth,  between  the  ages  of  fifteen  and  seventeen,  stood 
beside  her.  These  two  entrances  had  been  made  with 


THE   DEERSLAYER  223 

moccasined  feet,  and  consequently  almost  without  noise; 
but,  unexpected  and  stealthy  as  they  were,  they  had  not 
the  effect  to  disturb  Deerslayer's  self-possession.  His 
first  measure  was  to  speak  rapidly  in  Delaware  to  his 
friend,  cautioning  him  to  keep  out  of  sight,  while  he 
stood  on  his  guard;  the  second  was  to  step  to  the  door  to 
ascertain  the  extent  of  the  danger.  No  one  else,  how 
ever,  had  come;  and  a  simple  contrivance,  in  the  shape  of 
a  raft,  that  lay  floating  at  the  side  of  the  ark,  at  once 
explained  the  means  that  had  been  used  in  bringing  Hetty 
off.  Two  dead  and  dry,  and  consequently  buoyant  logs  of 
pine  were  bound  together  with  pins  and  withes,  and  a 
little  platform  of  riven  chestnut  had  been  rudely  placed 
on  their  surfaces.  Here  Hetty  had  been  seated  on  a  billet 
of  wood,  while  the  young  Iroquois  had  rowed  the  primi 
tive  and  slow-moving,  but  perfectly  safe  craft,  from  the 
shore.  As  soon  as  Deerslayer  had  taken  a  close  survey  of 
this  raft,  and  satisfied  himself  nothing  else  was  near, 
he  shook  his  head,  and  muttered,  in  his  soliloquizing 
way: 

"This  comes  of  prying  into  another  man's  chist!  Had 
we  been  watchful  and  keen-eyed,  such  a  surprise  could 
never  have  happened;  and  getting  this  much  from  a  boy, 
teaches  us  what  we  may  expect  when  the  old  warriors  set 
themselves  fairly  about  their  sarcumventions.  It  opens 
the  way,  hows'ever,  to  a  treaty  for  the  ransom,  and  I  will 
hear  what  Hetty  has  to  say." 

Judith,  as  soon  as  her  surprise  and  alarm  had  a  little 
abated,  discovered  a  proper  share  of  affectionate  joy  at 
the  return  of  her  sister.  She  folded  her  to  her  bosom, 
and  kissed  her,  as  had  been  her  wont  in  the  days  of  their 
childhood  and  innocence.  Hetty  herself  was  less  affected, 
for  to  her  there  was  no  surprise,  and  her  nerves  were 
sustained  by  the  purity  and  holiness  of  her  purpose.  At 
her  sister's  request  she  took  a  seat,  and  entered  into  an 
account  of  her  adventures  since  they  had  parted.  Her 
tale  commenced  just  as  Deerslayer  returned,  and  he  also 
became  an  attentive  listener,  while  the  young  Iroquois 
stood  near  the  door,  seemingly  as  indifferent  to  what  was 
passing  as  one  of  its  posts. 

The  narrative  of  the  girl  was  sufficiently  clear,  until 


224  THE   DEERSLAYER 

she  reached  the  time  where  we  left  her  in  the  camp,  after 
the  interview  with  the  chiefs,  and  at  the  moment  when 
Hist  quitted  her,  in  the  abrupt  manner  already  stated. 
The  sequel  of  the  story  may  be  told  in  her  own  language. 

"When  I  read  the  texts  to  the  chiefs,  Judith,  you  could 
not  have  seen  that  they  made  any  changes  on  their  minds, ' ' 
she  said,  "but  if  seed  is  planted,  it  will  grow.  God 
planted  the  seeds  of  all  the  trees — 

"Ay,  that  did  He — that  did  He,"  muttered  Deerslayer; 
"and  a  goodly  harvest  has  followed." 

"God  planted  the  seeds  of  all  the  trees,"  continued 
Hetty,  after  a  moment's  pause,  "and  you  see  to  what  a 
height  and  shade  they  have  grown!  So  it  is  with  the 
Bible.  You  may  read  a  verse  this  year,  and  forget  it, 
and  it  will  come  back  to  you  a  year  hence,  when  you  least 
expect  to  remember  it. ' ' 

"And  did  you  find  anything  of  this,  among  the  savages, 
poor  Hetty?" 

"Yes,  Judith,  and  sooner,  and  more  fully  than  I  had 
even  hoped.  I  did  not  stay  long  with  father  and  Hurry, 
but  went  to  get  my  breakfast  with  Hist.  As  soon  as  we 
had  done,  the  chiefs  came  to  us,  and  then  we  found  the 
fruits  of  the  seed  that  had  been  planted.  They  said  what 
I  had  read  from  the  good  book  was  right — it  must  be 
right — it  sounded  right;  like  a  sweet  bird  singing  in 
their  ears;  and  they  told  me  to  come  back  and  say  as 
much  to  the  great  warrior  who  had  slain  one  of  their 
braves;  and  to  tell  it  to  you,  and  to  say  how  happy  they 
should  be  to  come  to  church  here,  in  the  castle,  or  to 
come  out  in  the  sun,  and  hear  me  read  more  of  the  sacred 
volume — and  to  tell  you  that  they  wish  you  would  lend 
them  some  canoes,  that  they  can  bring  father  and  Hurry, 
and  their  women,  to  the  castle,  that  we  might  all  sit  on 
the  platform  there,  and  listen  to  the  singing  of  the  pale 
face  Manitou.  There,  Judith;  did  you  ever  know  of  any 
thing  that  so  plainly  shows  the  power  of  the  Bible  as 
that?" 

"If  it  were  true,  'twould  be  a  miracle,  indeed,  Hetty. 
But  all  this  is  no  more  than  Indian  cunning  and  Indian 
treachery,  striving  to  get  the  better  of  us  by  manage 
ment,  when  they  find  it  is  not  to  be  done  by  force." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  223 

"Do  you  doubt  the  Bible,  sister,  that  you  judge  the 
savages  so  harshly?" 

"I  do  not  doubt  the  Bible,  poor  Hetty,  but  I  much 
doubt  an  Indian  and  an  Iroquois.  What  do  you  say  to 
this  visit,  Deerslayer?" 

"First  let  me  talk  a  little  with  Hetty,"  returned  the 
party  appealed  to;  "was  this  raft  made  a'ter  you  had  got 
your  breakfast,  gal ;  and  did  you  walk  from  the  camp  to 
the  shore  opposite  to  us,  here?" 

"Oh!  no,  Deerslayer.  The  raft  was  ready  made,  and 
in  the  water — could  that  have  been  by  a  miracle,  Judith?" 

"Yes — yes — an  Indian  miracle,"  rejoined  the  hunter. 
"They're  expart  enough  in  them  sort  of  miracles.  And 
you  found  the  raft  ready  made  to  your  hands,  and  in  the 
water,  and  in  waiting  like  for  its  cargo?" 

"It  was  all  as  you  say.  The  raft  was  near  the  camp, 
and  the  Indians  put  me  on  it,  and  had  ropes  of  bark,  and 
they  dragged  me  to  the  place  opposite  to  the  castle,  and 
then  they  told  that  young  man  to  row  me  off,  here." 

"And  the  woods  are  full  of  the  vagabonds,  waiting  to 
know  what  is  to  be  the  upshot  of  the  miracle.  We  com 
prehend  this  affair,  now,  Judith — but  I'll  first  get  rid  of 
this  young  Canadian  blood-sucker,  and  then  we'll  settle 
our  own  course.  Do  you  and  Hetty  leave  us  together, 
first  bringing  me  the  elephants,  which  the  Sarpent  is  ad 
miring;  for  'twill  never  do  to  let  this  loping  deer  be  alone 
a  minute,  or  he'll  borrow  a  canoe  without  asking." 

Judith  did  as  desired,  first  bringing  the  pieces,  and  re 
tiring  with  her  sister  into  their  own  room.  Deerslayer 
had  acquired  some  knowledge  of  most  of  the  Indian  dia 
lects  of  that  region,  and  he  knew  enough  of  the  Iroquois 
to  hold  a  dialogue  in  the  language.  Beckoning  to  the 
lad,  therefore,  he  caused  him  to  take  a  seat  on  the  chest, 
when  he  placed  two  of  the  castles  suddenly  before  him. 
Up  to  that  moment,  this  youthful  savage  had  not  expressed 
a  single  intelligible  emotion  or  fancy.  There  were  many 
things  in  and  about  the  place  that  were  novelties  to  him, 
but  he  had  maintained  his  self-command  with  philosophi 
cal  composure.  It  is  true,  Deerslayer  had  detected  his 
dark  eye  scanning  the  defenses  and  the  arms,  but  the 
scrutiny  had  been  made  with  such  an  air  of  innocence,  in 
15 


226  THE   DEERSLAYER 

such  a  gaping,  indolent,  boyish  manner,  that  no  one  but 
a  man  who  had  himself  been  taught  in  a  similar  school, 
would  have  even  suspected  his  object.  The  instant,  how 
ever,  the  eyes  of  the  savage  fell  upon  the  wrought  ivory, 
and  the  images  of  the  wonderful,  unknown  beasts,  sur 
prise  and  admiration  got  the  mastery  of  him.  The  man 
ner  in  which  the  natives  of  the  South  Sea  Islands  first 
beheld  the  toys  of  civilized  life,  has  been  of  ten  described; 
but  the  reader  is  not  to  confound  it  with  the  manner  of 
an  American  Indian  under  similar  circumstances.  In  this 
particular  case,  the  young  Iroquois,  or  Huron,  permitted 
an  exclamation  of  rapture  to  escape  him,  and  then  he 
checked  himself,  like  one  who  had  been  guilty  of  an  inde 
corum.  After  this,  his  eyes  ceased  to  wander,  but  became 
riveted  on  the  elephants,  one  of  which,  after  a  short  hes 
itation,  he  even  presumed  to  handle.  Deerslayer  did  not 
interrupt  him  for  quite  ten  minutes;  knowing  that  the 
lad  was  taking  such  note  of  the  curiosities,  as  would  en 
able  him  to  give  the  most  minute  and  accurate  description 
of  their  appearance  to  his  seniors,  on  his  return.  When 
he  thought  sufficient  time  had  been  allowed  to  produce 
the  desired  effect,  the  hunter  laid  a  finger  on  the  naked 
knee  of  the  youth,  and  drew  his  attention  to  himself. 

''Listen,"  he  said;  "I  want  to  talk  with  my  young 
friend  from  the  Canadas.  Let  him  forget  that  wonder 
for  a  minute." 

"Where  t'other  pale  brother?"  demanded  the  boy, 
looking  up,  and  letting  the  idea  that  had  been  most  prom 
inent  in  his  mind,  previously  to  the  introduction  of  the 
chessmen,  escape  him  involuntarily. 

"He  sleeps— or  if  he  isn't  fairly  asleep,  he  is  in  the 
room  where  the  men  do  sleep,"  returned  Deerslayer. 
"How  did  my  young  friend  know  there  was  another?" 

"See  him  from  the  shore.  Iroquois  have  got  long  eyes 
• — see  beyond  the  clouds — see  the  bottom  of  the  great 
spring!" 

"Well,  the  Iroquois  are  welcome.  Two  pale  faces  are 
prisoners  in  the  camp  of  your  fathers,  boy. ' ' 

The  lad  nodded,  treating  the  circumstance  with  great 
apparent  indifference;  though  a  moment  after  he  laughed 
as  if  exulting  in  the  superior  address  of  his  own  tribe. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  227 

"Can  you  tell  me,  boy,  what  your  chiefs  intend  to  do 
with  these  captyves;  or  haven't  they  yet  made  up  their 
minds?" 

The  lad  looked  a  moment  at  the  hunter  with  a  little 
surprise;  then  he  coolly  put  the  end  of  his  forefinger  on 
his  own  head,  just  above  the  left  ear,  and  passed  it  round 
his  crown,  with  an  accuracy  and  readiness  that  showed 
how  well  he  had  been  drilled  in  the  peculiar  art  of  his 
race. 

"When?"  demanded  Deerslayer,  whose  gorge  rose  at 
this  cool  demonstration  of  indifference  to  human  life. 
"And  why  not  take  them  to  your  wigwams?" 

"Road  too  long,  and  full  of  pale  faces.  Wigwam  full, 
and  scalps  sell  high.  Small  scalp,  much  gold." 

"Well,  that  explains  it — yes,  that  does  explain  it. 
There's  no  need  of  being  any  plainer.  Now,  you  know, 
lad,  that  the  oldest  of  your  prisoners  is  the  father  of 
these  two  young  women,  and  the  other  is  the  suitor  of 
one  of  them.  The  gals  nat' rally  wish  to  save  the  scalps 
of  such  fri'nds,  and  they  will  give  them  two  ivory  crea- 
tur's  as  ransom;  one  for  each  scalp.  Go  back  and  tell  this 
to  your  chiefs,  and  bring  me  the  answer  before  the  sun 
sets." 

The  boy  entered  zealously  into  this  project,  and  with  a 
sincerity  that  left  no  doubt  of  his  executing  his  commis 
sion  with  intelligence  and  promptitude.  For  a  moment 
he  forgot  his  love  of  honor,  and  all  his  clannish  hostility 
to  the  British  and  their  Indians,  in  his  wish  to  have  such 
a  treasure  in  his  tribe,  and  Deerslayer  was  satisfied  with 
the  impression  he  had  made.  It  is  true,  the  lad  proposed 
to  carry  one  of  the  elephants  with  him,  as  a  specimen 
of  the  other,  but  to  this  his  brother  negotiator  was  too 
sagacious  to  consent;  well  knowing  that  it  might  never 
reach  its  destination  if  confided  to  such  hands.  This  little 
difficulty  was  soon  arranged,  and  the  boy  prepared  to  de 
part.  As  he  stood  on  the  platform  ready  to  step  aboard 
of  the  raft,  he  hesitated,  and  turned  short  with  a  proposal 
to  borrow  a  canoe,  as  the  means  most  likely  to  shorten 
the  negotiation.  Deerslayer  quietly  refused  the  request, 
and,  after  lingering  a  little  longer  the  boy  rowed  slowly 
away  from  the  castle,  taking  the  direction  of  a  thicket  on 


228  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  shore,  that  lay  less  than  half  a  mile  distant.  Deer- 
slayer  seated  himself  on  a  stool,  and  watched  the  progress 
of  the  embassador;  sometimes  closely  scanning  the  whole 
line  of  shore,  as  far  as  eye  could  reach,  and  then  placing 
an  elbow  on  a  knee,  he  remained  a  long  time  with  his  chin 
resting  on  the  hand. 

During  the  interview  between  Deerslayer  and  the  lad,  a 
different  scene  took  place  in  the  adjoining  room.  Hetty 
had  inquired  for  the  Delaware,  and  being  told  why  and 
where  he  remained  concealed,  she  joined  him.  The  recep 
tion  which  Chingachgook  gave  his  visitor  was  respectful 
and  gentle.  He  understood  her  character;  and.  no  doubt, 
his  disposition  to  be  kind  to  such  a  being  was  increased 
by  the  hope  of  learning  some  tidings  of  his  betrothed. 
As  soon  as  the  girl  entered  she  took  a  seat,  and  invited 
the  Indian  to  place  himself  near  her;  then  she  continued 
silent,  as  if  she  thought  it  decorous  for  him  to  question 
her,  before  she  consented  to  speak  on  the  subject  she  had 
on  her  mind.  But,  as  Chingachgook  did  not  understand 
this  feeling,  he  remained  respectfully  attentive  to  any 
thing  she  might  be  pleased  to  tell  him. 

"You  are  Chingachgook — the  Great  Serpent  of  the 
Delawares,  aren't  you?"  the  girl  at  length  commenced, 
in  her  own  simple  way,  losing  her  self-command  in  the 
desire  to  proceed,  but  anxious  first  to  make  sure  of  the 
individual. 

"Chingachgook,"  returned  the  Delaware,  with  grave 
dignity.  "That  say  Great  Serpent  in  Deerslayer  tongue. ' ' 

"Well,  that  is  my  tongue.  Deerslayer,  and  father, 
and  Judith,  and  I,  and  poor  Hurry  Harry — do  you  know 
Henry  March,  Great  Serpent?  I  know  you  don't,  however, 
or  he  would  have  spoken  of  you,  too." 

"Did  any  tongue  name  Chingachgook,  Drooping-Lily?" 
for  so  the  chief  had  named  poor  Hetty.  "Was  his  name 
sung  by  a  little  bird  among  the  Iroquois?" 

Hetty  did  not  answer  at  first;  but  with  that  indescri 
bable  feeling  that  awakens  sympathy  and  intelligence 
among  the  youthful  and  unpractised  of  her  sex,  she  hung 
her  head,  and  the  blood  suffused  her  cheek  ere  she  found 
her  tongue.  It  would  have  exceeded  her  stock  of  intelli 
gence  to  explain  this  embarrassment;  but  though  poor 


THE  DEERSLAYER  229 

Hetty  could  not  reason  on  every  emergency,  she  could 
always  feel.  The  color  slowly  receded  from  her  cheek, 
and  the  girl  looked  up  archly  at  the  Indian,  smiling  with 
the  innocence  of  a  child,  mingled  with  the  interest  of  a 
woman. 

"My  sister,  the  Drooping-Lily,  hear  such  bird !"  Chin- 
gachgook  added,  and  this  with  a  gentleness  of  tone  and 
manner  that  would  have  astonished  those  who  sometimes 
heard  the  discordant  cries  that  often  came  from  the  same 
throat;  these  transitions  from  the  harsh  and  guttural  to 
the  soft  and  melodious  not  being  infrequent  in  ordinary 
Indian  dialogues.  "My  sister's  ears  were  open — has  she 
lost  her  tongue?" 

"You  are  Chingachgook — you  must  be;  for  there  is  no 
other  red-man  here,  and  she  thought  Chingachgook  would 
come." 

"Chin-gach-gook,"  pronouncing  the  name  slowly,  and 
dwelling  on  each  syllable;  "Great  Serpent,  Yengeese l 
tongue." 

"Chin-gach-gook,"  repeated  Hetty,  in  the  same  delib 
erate  manner.  "Yes,  so1  Hist  called  it,  and  you  must  be 
the  chief." 

" Wah-ta-Wah, "  added  the  Delaware. 

"Wah-ta-Wah,  or  Hist-oh-Hist.  I  think  Hist  prettier 
than  Wah,  and  so  I  call  her  Hist." 

"Wah  very  sweet  in  Delaware  ears!" 

"You  make  it  sound  differently  from  me.  But  never 
mind;  I  did  hear  the  bird  you  speak  of  sing,  Great  Ser 
pent." 

"Will  my  sister  say  words  of  song?  What  she  sing 
most — how  she  look — often  she  laugh?" 

"She  sang  Chin-gach-gook  oftener  than  anything  else; 
and  she  laughed  heartily  when  I  told  how  the  Iroquois 


1  It  is  singular  there  should  be  any  question  concerning  the  origin  of  the  well- 
known  sobriquet  of  "Yankees."  Nearly  all  the  old  writers  who  speak  of  the 
Indians  first  known  to  the  colonists  make  them  pronounce  the  word  "English" 
as  "Yengeese."  Even  at  this  day,  it  is  a  provincialism  of  New  England  to  say 
"English"  instead  of  ''Ing'ish,"  and  there  is  a  close  conformity  of  sounds  be 
tween  ".English"  and  "Yengeese,"  more  especially  if  the  latter  word,  as  was 
probably  the  case,  be  pronounced  short.  The  transition  from  "Yengeese,"  thus 
pronounced  to  "Yankees"  is  quite  easy.  If  the  former  is  pronounced  "Yangis," 
it  is  almost  identical  with  "Yankees,"  and  Indian  words  have  seldom  been  spelt 
as  they  are  pronounced.  Thus  the  scene  of  this  tale  is  spelt  "Otsego,"  and  is 
properly  pronounced  "Otsago."  The  liquids  of  the  Indians  would  easily  convert 
"En"  into  "Yen." 


230  THE   DEERSLAYER 

waded  into  the  water  after  us,  and  couldn't  catch  us.  I 
hope  these  logs  haven't  ears,  Serpent!" 

"No  fear  logs;  fear  sister  next  room.  No  fear  Iro- 
quois;  Deerslayer  stuff  his  eyes  and  ears  with  strange 
beast. ' ' 

"I  understand  you,  Serpent,  and  I  understood  Hist. 
Sometimes  I  think  I'm  not  half  as  feeble-minded  as  they 
say  I  am.  Now,  do  you  look  up  at  the  roof,  and  I'll  tell 
you  all.  But  you  frighten  me,  you  look  so  eager  when  I 
speak  of  Hist. ' ' 

The  Indian  controlled  his  looks,  and  affected  to  comply 
with  the  simple  request  of  the  girl. 

"Hist  told  me  to  say,  in  a  very  low  voice,  that  you 
mustn't  trust  the  Iroquois  in  anything.  They  are  more 
artful  than  any  Indians  she  knows.  Then  she  says  that 
there  is  a  large  bright  star  that  comes  over  the  hill,  about 
an  hour  after  dark" — Hist  had  pointed  out  the  planet 
Jupiter,  without  knowing  it — "and  just  as  that  star  comes 
in  sight,  she  will  be  on  the  point  where  I  landed  last 
night,  and  that  you  must  come  for  her  in  a  canoe." 

"Good!  Chingachgook  understand  well  enough,  now; 
but  he  understand  better  if  my  sister  sing  to  him  ag'in." 

Hetty  repeated  her  words,  more  fully  explaining  what 
star  was  meant,  and  mentioning  the  part  of  the  point 
where  he  was  to  venture  ashore.  She  now  proceeded  in 
her  own  unsophisticated  way  to  relate  her  intercourse 
with  the  Indian  maid,  and  to  repeat  several  of  her  expres 
sions  and  opinions  that  gave  great  delight  to  the  heart  of 
her  betrothed.  She  particularly  renewed  her  injunctions 
to  be  on  their  guard  against  treachery;  a  warning  that 
was  scarcely  needed,  however,  as  addressed  to  men  as 
wary  as  those  to  whom  it  was  sent.  She  also  explained, 
wi  ^sufficient  clearness — for  on  all  such  subjects  the  mind 
of  the  girl  seldom  failed  her — the  present  state  of  the 
enemy,  and  the  movements  they  had  made  since  morning. 
Hist  had  been  on  the  raft  with  her,  until  it  quitted  the 
shore;  and  was  now  somewhere  in  the  woods,  opposite  to 
the  castle,  and  did  not  intend  to  return  to  the  camp  until 
night  approached;  when  she  hoped  to  be  able  to  slip  away 
from  her  companions,  as  they  followed  the  shore  on  their 
way  home,  and  conceal  herself  on  the  point.  No  one  ap- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  231 

peared  to  suspect  the  presence  of  Chingachgook,  though 
it  was  necessarily  known  that  an  Indian  had  entered  the 
ark  the  previous  night,  and  it  was  suspected  that  he  had 
since  appeared  in  and  about  the  castle,  in  the  dress  of  a 
pale  face.  Still,  some  little  doubt  existed  on  the  latter 
point,  for  as  this  was  the  season  when  white  men  might 
be  expected  to  arrive,  there  was  some  fear  that  the  gar 
rison  of  the  castle  was  increasing  by  these  ordinary  means. 
All  this  had  Hist  communicated  to  Hetty  while  the  Indians 
were  dragging  them  along  shore;  the  distance,  which  ex 
ceeded  six  miles,  affording  abundance  of  time. 

"Hist  don't  know,  herself,  whether  they  suspect  her  or 
not,  or  whether  they  suspect  you,  but  she  hopes  neither 
is  the  case.  And  now,  Serpent,  since  I  have  told  you  so 
much  from  your  betrothed,"  continued  Hetty,  uncon 
sciously  taking  one  of  the  Indian's  hands,  and  playing 
with  the  fingers,  as  a  child  is  often  seen  to  play  with 
those  of  a  parent,  "you  must  let  me  tell  you  something 
from  myself.  When  you  marry  Hist,  you  must  be  kind 
to  her,  and  smile  on  her,  as  you  do  now  on  me;  and  not 
look  cross,  as  some  of  the  chiefs  do  at  their  squaws.  Will 
you  promise  this?" 

"Always  good  to  Wah!  too  tender  to  twist  hard;  else 
she  break. ' ' 

"Yes,  and  smile,  too;  you  don't  know  how  much  a  girl 
craves  smiles  from  them  she  loves.  Father  scarce  smiled 
on  me  once,  while  I  was  with  him — and,  Hurry — yes — 
Hurry  talked  loud,  and  laughed;  but  I  don't  think  he 
smiled  once  either.  You  know  the  difference  between  a 
smile  and  a  laugh?" 

"Laugh,  best.     Hear  Wah  laugh,  think  bird  sing!" 

"I  know  that;  her  laugh  is  pleasant,  but  you  must 
smile.  And  then,  Serpent,  you  mustn't  make  her  carry 
burdens  and  hoe  corn,  as  so  many  Indians  do;  but  treat 
her  more  as  the  pale  faces  treat  their  wives." 

"Wah-ta-Wah  no  pale  face — got  red  skin;  red  heart, 
redfeelin's.  All  red ;  no  pale  face.  Must  carry  papoose. " 

"Every  woman  is  willing  to  carry  her  child,"  said 
Hetty,  smiling;  "and  there  is  no  harm  in  that.  But  you 
must  love  Hist,  and  be  gentle  and  good  to  her;  for  she  is 
gentle  and  good  herself. ' ' 


232  THE   DEERSLAYER 

Chingachgook  gravely  bowed,  and  then  he  seemed  to 
think  this  part  of  the  subject  might  be  dismissed.  Before 
there  was  time  for  Hetty  to  resume  her  communications, 
the  voice  of  Deerslayer  was  heard  calling  on  his  friend,  in 
the  outer  room.  At  this  summons  the  Serpent  arose  to 
obey,  and  Hetty  joined  her  sister. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

"  'A  stranger  animal,'  cries  one, 
"  Sure  never  lived  beneath  the  sun, 
A  lizard's  body,  lean  and  long, 
A  fish's  head,  a  serpent's  tongue, 
Its  foot,  with  triple  claw  disjoined  ; 
And  what  a  length  of  tail  behind  ! '  " 

— MERRICK. 

THE  first  act  of  the  Delaware,  on  rejoining  his  friend, 
was  to  proceed  gravely  to  disencumber  himself  of  his 
civilized  attire,  and  to  stand  forth  an  Indian  warrior 
again.  The  protest  of  Deerslayer  was  met  by  his  com 
municating  the  fact  that  the  presence  of  an  Indian  in  the 
hut  was  known  to  the  Iroquois,  and  that  his  maintaining 
the  disguise  would  be  more  likely  to  direct  suspicions  to 
his  real  object,  than  if  he  came  out  openly  as  a  member 
of  a  hostile  tribe.  When  the  latter  understood  the  truth, 
and  was  told  that  he  had  been  deceived  in  supposing  the 
chief  had  succeeded  in  entering  the  ark  undiscovered,  he 
cheerfully  consented  to  the  change,  since  further  attempt 
at  concealment  was  useless.  A  gentler  feeling  than  the 
one  avowed,  however,  lay  at  the  bottom  of  the  Indian's 
desire  to  appear  as  a  son  of  the  forest.  He  had  been  told 
that  Hist  was  on  the  opposite  shore;  and  nature  so  far 
triumphed  over  all  distinctions  of  habit,  and  tribes,  and 
people,  as  to  reduce  this  young  savage  warrior  to  the  level 
of  a  feeling  which  would  have  been  found  in  the  most 
refined  inhabitant  of  a  town,  under  similar  circumstances. 
There  was  a  mild  satisfaction  in  believing  that  she  he 
loved  could  see  him;  and  as  he  walked  out  on  the  plat 
form  in  his  scanty  native  attire,  an  Apollo  of  the  wilder 
ness,  a  hundred  of  the  tender  fancies  that  fleet  through 
lovers'  brains  beset  his  imagination  and  softened  his 
heart. 

All  this  was  lost  on  Deerslayer,  who  was  no  great  adept 
in  the  mysteries  of  Cupid,  but  whose  mind  was  far  more 
occupied  with  the  concerns  that  forced  themselves  on  his 

233 


234  THE   DEERSLAYER 

attention,  than  with  any  of  the  truant  fancies  of  love. 
He  soon  recalled  his  companion,  therefore,  to  a  sense  of 
their  actual  condition,  by  summoning  him  to  a  sort  of 
council  of  war  in  which  they  were  to  settle  their  future 
course.  In  the  dialogue  that  followed,  the  parties  mu 
tually  made  each  other  acquainted  with  what  had  passed 
in  their  several  interviews.  Chingachgook  was  told  the 
history  of  the  treaty  about  the  ransom;  and  Deerslayer 
heard  the  whole  of  Hetty's  communications.  The  latter 
listened  with  generous  interest  to  his  friend's  hopes,  and 
promised  cheerfully  all  the  assistance  he  could  lend. 

"  'Tis  our  main  arr'nd,  Sarpent,  as  you  know;  this 
battling  for  the  castle  and  old  Hutter's  darters,  coming 
in  as  a  sort  of  accident.  Yes — yes — I'll  be  actyve  in 
helping  little  Hist,  who's  not  only  one  of  the  best  and 
handsomest  maidens  of  the  tribe,  but  the  very  best  and 
handsomest.  I've  always  encouraged  you,  chief,  in  that 
liking;  and  it's  proper,  too,  that  a  great  and  ancient  race 
like  your'n  shouldn't  come  to  an  end.  If  a  woman  of  red 
skin  and  red  gifts  could  get  to  be  near  enough  to  me  to 
wish  her  for  a  wife,  I'd  s'arch  for  just  such  another,  but 
that  can  never  be;  no,  that  can  never  be.  I'm  glad  Hetty 
has  met  with  Hist,  hows'ever,  for  though  the  first  is  a 
little  short  of  wit  and  understanding,  the  last  has  enough 
for  both.  Yes,  Sarpent,"  laughing  heartily,  "put  'em 
together,  and  two  smarter  gals  isn't  to  be  found  in  all 
York  colony!" 

"I  will  go  to  the  Iroquois  camp,"  returned  the  Dela 
ware,  gravely.  "No  one  knows  Chingachgook  but  Wah, 
and  a  treaty  for  lives  and  scalps  should  be  made  by  a 
chief!  Give  me  the  strange  beasts,  and  let  me  take  a 
canoe. ' ' 

Deerslayer  dropped  his  head,  and  played  with  the  end 
of  a  fish-pole  in  the  water,  as  he  sat,  dangling  his  legs 
over  the  edge  of  the  platform,  like  a  man  who  was  lost  in 
thought  by  the  sudden  occurrence  of  a  novel  idea.  In 
stead  of  directly  answering  the  proposal  of  his  friend,  he 
began  to  soliloquize;  a  circumstance,  however,  that  in  no 
manner  rendered  his  words  more  true,  as  he  was  remark 
able  for  saying  what  he  thought,  whether  the  remarks 
were  addressed  to  himself  or  to  anyone  else. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  235 

"Yes — yes,"  he  said,  "this  must  be  what  they  call 
love!  I've  heard  say  that  it  sometimes  upsets  reason  alto 
gether,  leaving  a  young  man  as  helpless,  as  to  calculation 
and  caution,  as  a  brute  beast.  To  think  that  the  Sarpent 
should  be  so  lost  to  reason,  and  cunning,  and  wisdom. 
We  must,  sartainly,  manage  to  get  Hist  off,  and  have  'em 
married  as  soon  as  we  get  back  to  the  tribe,  or  this  war 
will  be  of  no  more  use  to  the  chief  than  a  hunt  a  little 
oncommon  and  extr'ornary.  Yes — yes — he'll  never  be  the 
man  he  was  till  this  matter  is  off  his  mind,  and  he  comes 
to  his  senses,  like  all  the  rest  of  mankind.  Sarpent,  you 
can't  be  in  airnest,  and  therefore  I  shall  say  but  little  to 
your  offer.  But  you're  a  chief,  and  will  soon  be  sent  out 
on  the  warpath  at  the  head  of  parties,  and  I'll  just  ask  if 
you'd  think  of  putting  your  forces  into  the  inimy's  hands, 
afore  the  battle  is  fou't?" 

"Wah!"  ejaculated  the  Indian. 

"Ay — Wah!  I  know  well  enough  it's  Wah!  and  alto 
gether  Wah!  Ra'ally,  Sarpent,  I'm  consarned  and  morti 
fied  about  you!  I  never  heard  so  weak  an  idea  come  from 
a  chief,  and  he,  too,  one  that's  already  got  a  name  for 
being  wise,  young  and  inexper'enced  as  he  is.  Canoe  you 
shan't  have,  so  long  as  the  v'ice  of  fri'ndship  and  warning 
can  count  for  anything." 

"My  pale-face  friend  is  right.  A  cloud  came  over  the 
face  of  Chingachgook,  and  weakness  got  into  his  mind, 
while  his  eyes  were  dim.  My  brother  has  a  good  memory 
for  good  deeds,  and  a  weak  memory  for  bad.  He  will 
forget." 

"Yes,  that's  easy  enough.  Say  no  more  about  it,  chief; 
but  if  another  of  them  clouds  blow  near  you,  do  your 
endivor  to  get  out  of  its  way.  Clouds  are  bad  enough  in 
the  weather;  but  when  they  come  to  the  reason  it  gets  to 
be  serious.  Now,  sit  down  by  me  here,  and  let  us  cal 
culate  our  movements  a  little,  for  we  shall  soon  either  have 
a  truce  and  a  peace,  or  we  shall  come  to  an  actyve  and 
bloody  war.  You  see  the  vagabonds  can  make  logs  sarve 
their  turn,  as  well  as  the  best  raftsmen  on  the  rivers;  and 
it  would  be  no  great  expl'ite  for  them  to  invade  us  in  a 
body.  I've  been  thinking  of  the  wisdom  of  putting  all 
old  Tom's  stores  into  the  ark,  of  barring  and  locking  up 


236  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  castle,  and  of  taking  to  the  ark  altogether.  That  is 
movable,  and  by  keeping  the  sail  up,  and  shifting  places, 
we  might  worry  through  a  great  many  nights,  without 
them  Canada  wolves  finding  a  way  into  our  sheep- 
fold." 

Chingachgook  listened  to  this  plan  with  approbation. 
Did  the  negotiation  fail  there  was  now  little  hope  that 
the  night  would  pass  without  an  assault;  and  the  enemy 
had  sagacity  enough  to  understand,  that,  in  carrying  the 
castle,  they  would  probably  become  masters  of  all  it  con 
tained,  the  offered  ransom  included,  and  still  retain  the 
advantages  they  had  hitherto  gained.  Some  precaution 
of  the  sort  appeared  to  be  absolutely  necessary;  for  now 
the  numbers  of  the  Iroquois  were  known,  a  night  attack 
could  scarcely  be  successfully  met.  It  would  be  impossi 
ble  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  getting  possession  of  the 
canoes  and  the  ark,  and  the  latter  itself  would  be  a  hold 
in  which  the  assailants  would  be  as  effectually  protected 
against  bullets  as  were  those  in  the  building.  For  a  few 
minutes  both  the  men  thought  of  sinking  the  ark  in  the 
shallow  water,  of  bringing  the  canoes  into  the  house,  and 
of  depending  altogether  on  the  castle  for  protection.  But 
reflection  satisfied  them  that,  in  the  end,  this  expedient 
would  fail.  It  was  so  easy  to  collect  logs  on  the  shore, 
and  to  construct  a  raft  of  almost  any  size,  that  it  was 
certain  the  Iroquois,  now  they  had  turned  their  attention 
to  such  means,  would  resort  to  them  seriously,  so  long  as 
there  was  the  certainty  of  success  by  perseverance.  After 
deliberating  maturely,  and  placing  all  the  considerations 
fairly  before  them,  the  two  young  beginners  in  the  art  of 
forest  warfare  settled  down  into  the  opinion  that  the  ark 
offered  the  only  available  means  of  security.  This  de 
cision  was  no  sooner  come  to,  than  it  was  communicated 
to  Judith.  The  girl  had  no  serious  objection  to  make, 
and  all  four  set  about  the  measures  necessary  to  carrying 
the  plan  into  execution. 

The  reader  will  readily  understand  that  Floating  Tom's 
worldly  goods  were  of  no  great  amount.  A  couple  of 
beds,  some  wearing  apparel,  the  arms  and  ammunition, 
a  few  cooking  utensils,  with  the  mysterious  but  half- 
examined  chest,  formed  the  principal  items.  These  were 


THE   DEERSLAYER  237 

all  soon  removed,  the  ark  having  been  hauled  on  the  east 
ern  side  of  the  building,  so  that  the  transfer  could  be 
made  without  being  seen  from  the  shore.  It  was  thought 
unnecessary  to  disturb  the  heavier  and  coarser  articles  of 
furniture,  as  they  were  not  required  in  the  ark,  and  were 
of  but  little  value  in  themselves.  As  great  caution  was 
necessary  in  removing  the  different  objects,  most  of  which 
were  passed  out  of  a  window  with  a  view  to  conceal  what 
was  going  on,  it  required  two  or  three  hours  before  all 
could  be  effected.  By  the  expiration  of  that  time  the 
raft  made  its  appearance,  moving  from  the  shore.  Deer- 
slayer  immediately  had  recourse  to  the  glass,  by  the  aid 
of  which  he  perceived  that  two  warriors  were  on  it, 
though  they  appeared  to  be  unarmed.  The  progress  of 
the  raft  was  slow,  a  circumstance  that  formed  one  of  the 
great  advantages  that  would  be  possessed  by  the  scow  in 
any  future  collision  between  them,  the  movements  of  the 
latter  being  comparatively  swift  and  light.  As  there  was 
time  to  make  the  dispositions  for  the  reception  of  the  two 
dangerous  visitors,  everything  was  prepared  for  them, 
long  before  they  had  got  near  enough  to  be  hailed.  The 
Serpent  and  the  girls  retired  into  the  building,  where  the 
former  stood  near  the  door,  well  provided  with  rifles; 
while  Judith  watched  the  proceedings  without  through  a 
loop.  As  for  Deerslayer,  he  had  brought  a  stool  to  the 
edge  of  the  platform,  at  the  point  towards  which  the  raft 
was  advancing,  and  taken  his  seat,  with  his  rifle  leaning 
carelessly  between  his  legs. 

As  the  raft  drew  nearer,  every  means  possessed  by  the 
party  in  the  castle  was  resorted  to,  in  order  to  ascertain 
if  their  visitors  had  any  fire-arms.  Neither  Deerslayer 
nor  Chingachgook  could  discover  any;  but  Judith,  unwill 
ing  to  trust  to  simple  eyesight,  thrust  the  glass  through 
the  loop,  and  directed  it  towards  the  hemlock  boughs  that 
lay  between  the  two  logs  of  the  raft,  forming  a  sort  of 
flooring  as  well  as  a  seat  for  the  use  of  the  rowers.  When 
the  heavy-moving  craft  was  within  fifty  feet  of  him, 
Deerslayer  hailed  the  Hurons,  directing  them  to  cease  row 
ing,  it  not  being  his  intention  to  permit  them  to  land. 
Compliance,  of  course,  was  necessary,  and  the  two  grim- 
looking  warriors  instantly  quitted  their  seats,  though  the 


238  THE   DEERSLAYER 

raft  continued  slowly  to  approach,  until  it  had  driven  in 
much  nearer  to  the  platform. 

"Are  ye  chiefs?"  demanded  Deerslayer,  with  dignity. 
"Are  ye  chiefs?  or  have  the  Mingoes  sent  me  warriors 
without  names,  on  such  an  arr'nd?  If  so,  the  sooner  ye 
go  back,  the  sooner  the  one  will  be  likely  to  come  that  a 
warrior  can  talk  with." 

"Hugh!"  exclaimed  the  elder  of  the  two  on  the  raft, 
rolling  his  glowing  eyes  over  the  different  objects  that 
were  visible  in  and  about  the  castle,  with  a  keenness  that 
showed  how  little  escaped  him.  "My  brother  is  very 
proud,  but  Rivenoak  [we  use  the  literal  translation  of  the 
term,  writing  as  we  do  in  English]  is  a  name  to  make  a 
Delaware  turn  pale. ' ' 

"That's  true,  or  it's  a  lie,  Rivenoak,  as  it  may  be;  but 
I  am  not  likely  to  turn  pale,  seeing  that  I  was  born  pale. 
What's  your  arr'nd,  and  why  do  you  come  among  light 
bark  canoes  on  logs  that  are  not  even  dug  out?" 

"The  Iroquois  are  not  ducks,  to  walk  on  water.  Let 
the  pale  faces  give  them  a  canoe,  and  they'll  come  in  a 
canoe. ' ' 

"That's  more  rational,  than  likely  to  come  to  pass.  We 
have  but  four  canoes,  and  being  four  persons,  that's  only 
one  for  each  of  us.  We  thank  you  for  the  offer,  how- 
s'ever,  though  we  ask  leave  not  to  accept  it.  You  are 
welcome,  Iroquois,  on  your  logs!" 

"Thanks — my  young  pale-face  warrior — he  has  got  a 
name — how  do  the  chiefs  call  him?" 

Deerslayer  hesitated  a  moment,  and  a  gleam  of  pride 
and  human  weakness  came  over  him.  He  smiled,  mut 
tered  between  his  teeth,  and  then  looking  up  proudly,  he 
said: 

"Mingo,  like  all  who  are  young  and  actyve,  I've  been 
known  by  different  names  at  different  times.  One  of 
your  warriors,  whose  spirit  started  for  the  happy-grounds 
of  your  people  as  lately  as  yesterday  morning,  thought  I 
desarved  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Hawkeye;  and  this 
because  my  sight  happened  to  be  quicker  than  his  own, 
when  it  got  to  be  life  or  death  atween  us." 

Chingachgook,  who  was  attentively  listening  to  all  that 
passed,  heard  and  understood  this  proof  of  passing  weak- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  239 

ness  in  his  friend,  and  on  a  future  occasion  he  questioned 
him  more  closely  concerning  the  transaction  on  the  point 
where  Deerslayer  had  first  taken  human  life.  When  he 
had  got  the  whole  truth,  he  did  not  fail  to  communicate 
it  to  the  tribe,  from  which  time  the  young  hunter  was 
universally  known  among  the  Delawares  by  an  appellation 
so  honorably  earned.  As  this,  however,  was  a  period 
posterior  to  all  the  incidents  of  this  tale,  we  shall  con 
tinue  to  call  the  young  hunter  by  the  name  under  which 
he  has  been  first  introduced  to  the  reader.  Nor  was  the 
Iroquois  less  struck  with  the  vaunt  of  the  white  man. 
He  knew  of  the  death  of  his  comrade,  and  had  no  diffi 
culty  in  understanding  the  allusion;  the  intercourse  be 
tween  the  conqueror  and  his  victim  on  that  occasion 
having  been  seen  by  several  savages  on  the  shore  of  the 
lake,  who  had  been  stationed  at  different  points  just 
within  the  margin  of  the  bushes,  to  watch  the  drifting 
canoes,  and  who  had  not  time  to  reach  the  scene  of  action 
ere  the  victor  had  retired.  The  effect  on  this  rude  being 
of  the  forest  was  an  exclamation  of  surprise;  then  such  a 
smile  of  courtesy  and  wave  of  the  hand  succeeded,  as 
would  have  done  credit  to  Asiatic  diplomacy.  The  two 
Iroquois  spoke  to  each  other  in  low  tones,  and  both  drew 
near  the  end  of  the  raft  that  was  closest  to  the  platform. 

"My  brother,  Hawkeye,  has  sent  a  message  to  the 
Hurons,"  resumed  Rivenoak,  "and  it  has  made  their 
hearts  very  glad.  They  hear  he  has  images  of  beasts 
with  two  tails!  Will  he  show  them  to  his  friends?" 

"Inimies  would  be  truer, "  returned  Deerslayer;  "but 
sound  isn't  sense,  and  does  little  harm.  Here  is  one  of 
the  images;  I  toss  it  to  you  under  faith  of  treaties.  If 
it's  not  returned,  the  rifle  will  settle  the  p'int  atween 
us." 

The  Iroquois  seemed  to  acquiesce  in  the  conditions,  and 
Deerslayer  arose  and  prepared  to  toss  one  of  the  elephants 
to  the  raft,  both  parties  using  all  the  precaution  that  was 
necessary  to  prevent  its  loss.  As  practise  renders  men 
expert  in  such  things,  the  little  piece  of  ivory  was  soon 
successfully  transferred  from  one  hand  to  the  other;  and 
then  followed  another  scene  on  the  raft,  in  which  astonish 
ment  and  delight  got  the  mastery  of  Indian  stoicism. 


240  THE   DEERSLAYER 

These  two  grim  old  warriors  manifested  even  more  feel 
ing,  as  they  examined  the  curiously  wrought  chessman, 
than  had  been  betrayed  by  the  boy ;  for,  in  the  case  of 
the  latter,  recent  schooling  had  interposed  its  influence; 
while  the  men,  like  all  who  are  sustained  by  well-estab 
lished  characters,  were  not  ashamed  to  let  some  of  their 
emotions  be  discovered.  For  a  few  minutes  they  appar 
ently  lost  the  consciousness  of  their  situation  in  the  in 
tense  scrutiny  they  bestowed  on  a  material  so  fine,  work 
so  highly  wrought,  and  an  animal  so  extraordinary.  The 
lip  of  the  moose  is,  perhaps,  the  nearest  approach  to  the 
trunk  of  the  elephant  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  American 
forest;  but  this  resemblance  was  far  from  being  suffi 
ciently  striking  to  bring  the  new  creature  within  the 
range  of  their  habits  and  ideas,  and  the  more  they  studied 
the  image,  the  greater  was  their  astonishment.  Nor  did 
these  children  of  the  forest  mistake  the  structure  on  the 
back  of  the  elephant  for  a  part  of  the  animal.  They  were 
familiar  with  horses  and  oxen,  and  had  seen  towers  in  the 
Canadas,  and  found  nothing  surprising  in  creatures  of 
burden.  Still,  by  a  very  natural  association,  they  sup 
posed  the  carving  meant  to  represent  that  the  animal  they 
saw  was  of  a  strength  sufficient  to  carry  a  fort  on  its 
back;  a  circumstance  that  in  no  degree  lessened  their 
wonder. 

"Has  my  pale  face  brother  any  more  such  beasts?"  at 
last  the  senior  of  the  Iroquois  asked,  in  a  sort  of  petition 
ing  manner. 

"There's  more  where  them  came  from,  Mingo,"  was 
the  answer;  "one  is  enough,  however,  to  buy  off  fifty 
scalps. ' ' 

"One  of  my  prisoners  is  a  great  warrior — tall  as  a  pine 
— strong  as  the  moose — active  as  a  deer — fierce  as  the 
panther.  Some  day  he'll  be  a  great  chief,  and  lead  the 
army  of  King  George!" 

"Tut — tut — Mingo;  Harry  Hurry  is  Harry  Hurry,  and 
you'll  never  make  more  than  a  corporal  of  him,  if  you  do 
that.  He's  tall  enough,  of  a  sartainty;  but  that's  of  no 
use,  as  he  only  hits  his  head  ag'in  the  branches  as  he  goes 
through  the  forest.  He's  strong,  too;  but  a  strong  body 
isn't  a  strong  head,  and  the  king's  generals  are  not  chosen 


THE   DEERSLAYER  241 

for  their  sinews.  He's  swift,  if  you  will,  but  a  rifle  bul 
let  is  swifter;  and  as  for  f'erceness,  it's  no  great  ricom- 
mend  to  a  soldier;  they  that  think  they  feel  the  stoutest, 
often  givin'  out  at  the  pinch.  No — no — you'll  never 
make  Hurry's  scalp  pass  for  more  than  a  good  head  of 
curly  hair,  and  a  rattlepate  beneath  it!" 

"My  old  prisoner  very  wise — king  of  the  lake — great 
warrior,  wise  counselor!" 

"Well,  there's  them  that  might  gainsay  all  this,  too, 
Mingo.  A  very  wise  man  wouldn't  be  apt  to  be  taken  in 
so  foolish  a  manner  as  befell  Master  Hutter;  and  if  he 
gives  good  counsel,  he  must  have  listened  to  very  bad  in 
that  affair.  There's  only  one  king  of  this  lake,  and  he's 
a  long  way  off,  and  isn't  likely  ever  to  see  it.  Floating 
Tom  is  some  such  king  of  this  reigon,  as  the  wolf  that 
prowls  through  the  woods  is  king  of  the  forest.  A  beast 
with  two  tails  is  well  worth  two  such  scalps!" 

"But  my  brother  has  another  beast.  He  will  give  two," 
holding  up  as  many  fingers,  "for  old  father." 

"Floating  Tom  is  no  father  of  mine,  but  he'll  fare  none 
the  worse  for  that.  As  for  giving  two  beasts  for  his 
scalp,  and  each  beast  with  two  tails,  it  is  quite  beyond 
reason.  Think  yourself  well  off,  Mingo,  if  you  make  a 
much  worse  trade." 

By  this  time  the  self-command  of  Rivenoak  had  got  the 
better  of  his  wonder,  and  he  began  to  fall  back  on  his 
usual  habits  of  cunning,  in  order  to  drive  the  best  bargain 
he  could.  It  would  be  useless  to  relate  more  than  the 
substance  of  the  desultory  dialogue  that  followed,  in 
which  the  Indian  manifested  no  little  management,  in 
endeavoring  to  recover  the  ground  lost  under  the  influ 
ence  of  surprise.  He  even  affected  to  doubt  whether  any 
original  for  the  image  of  the  beast  existed,  and  asserted 
that  the  oldest  Indian  had  never  heard  a  tradition  of  any 
such  animal.  Little  did  either  of  them  imagine  at  the 
time  that  long  ere  a  century  elapsed,  the  progress  of  civ 
ilization  would  bring  even  much  more  extraordinary  and 
rare  animals  into  that  region,  as  curiosities  to  be  gazed 
at  by  the  curious,  and  that  the  particular  beast  about 
which  the  disputants  contended  would  be  seen  laving  its 
sides  and  swimming  in  the  very  sheet  of  water  on  which 
16 


242  THE   DEERSLAYER 

they  had  met.1  As  is  not  uncommon  on  such  occasions, 
one  of  the  parties  got  a  little  warm  in  the  course  of  the 
discussion;  for  Deerslayer  met  all  the  arguments  and 
prevarications  of  his  subtle  opponent  with  his  own  cool 
directness  of  manner  and  unmoved  love  of  truth.  What 
an  elephant  was  he  knew  little  better  than  the  savage; 
but  he  perfectly  understood  that  the  carved  pieces  of 
ivory  must  have  some  such  value  in  the  eyes  of  an  Iro- 
quois  as  a  bag  of  gold,  or  a  package  of  beaver  skins, 
would  in  those  of  a  trader.  Under  the  circumstances, 
therefore,  he  felt  it  to  be  prudent  not  to  concede  too 
much  at  first,  since  there  existed  a  nearly  unconquerable 
obstacle  to  making  the  transfers,  even  after  the  contract 
ing  parties  had  actually  agreed  upon  the  terms.  Keeping 
this  difficulty  in  view,  he  held  the  extra  chessmen  in 
reserve  as  a  means  of  smoothing  any  difficulty  in  the 
moment  of  need. 

At  length  the  savage  pretended  that  further  negotiation 
was  useless,  since  he  could  not  be  so  unjust  to  his  tribe  as 
to  part  with  the  honor  and  emoluments  of  two  excellent, 
full-grown  male  scalps,  for  a  consideration  so  trifling  as 
a  toy  like  that  he  had  seen — and  he  prepared  to  take  his 
departure.  Both  parties  now  felt  as  men  are  wont  to  feel, 
when  a  bargain  that  each  is  anxious  to  conclude,  is  on  the 
eve  of  being  broken  off  in  consequence  of  too  much  per 
tinacity  in  the  way  of  management.  The  effect  of  the 
disappointment  was  very  different,  however,  on  the  re 
spective  individuals.  Deerslayer  was  mortified,  and  filled 
with  regret;  for  he  not  only  felt  for  the  prisoners,  but 
he  also  felt  deeply  for  the  two  girls.  The  conclusion  of 
the  treaty,  therefore,  left  him  melancholy  and  full  of  re 
gret.  With  the  savage,  his  defeat  produced  the  desire  of 
revenge.  In  a  moment  of  excitement,  he  loudly  announced 
his  intention  to  say  no  more;  and  he  felt  equally  enraged 
with  himself  and  with  his  cool  opponent,  that  he  had  per 
mitted  a  pale  face  to  manifest  more  indifference  and  self- 
command  than  an  Indian  chief.  When  he  began  to  urge 
his  raft  away  from  the  platform,  his  countenance  lowered, 

l  The  Otsego  is  a  favorite  place  for  the  caravan  keepers  to  let  their  elephants 
bathe.  The  writer  has  seen  two  at  a  time,  since  the  publication  of  this  book 
swimming  about  in  company. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  243 

and  his  eye  glowed  even  while  he  affected  a  smile  of 
amity  and  a  gesture  of  courtesy,  at  parting. 

It  took  some  little  time  to  overcome  the  vis  inertias  of 
the  logs,  and  while  this  was  doing  by  the  silent  Indian, 
Rivenoak  stalked  over  the  hemlock  boughs  that  lay  be 
tween  the  logs,  in  sullen  ferocity,  eyeing  keenly,  the 
while,  the  hut,  the  platform,  and  the  person  of  his  late 
disputant.  Once  he  spoke  in  low,  quick  terms  to  his 
companion,  and  he  stirred  the  boughs  with  his  feet,  like 
an  animal  that  is  restive.  At  that  moment  the  watchful 
ness  of  Deerslayer  had  a  little  abated,  for  he  sat  musing 
on  the  means  of  renewing  the  negotiation  without  giving 
too  much  advantage  to  the  other  side.  It  was,  perhaps, 
fortunate  for  him  that  the  keen  and  bright  eyes  of  Judith 
were  as  vigilant  as  ever.  At  the  instant  when  the  young 
man  was  least  on  his  guard,  and  his  enemy  was  the  most 
on  the  alert,  she  called  out  in  a  warning  voice  to  the 
former,  most  opportunely  giving  the  alarm. 

"Be  on  your  guard,  Deerslayer!"  the  girl  cried;  "I 
see  rifles,  with  the  glass,  beneath  the  hemlock  brush,  and 
the  Iroquois  is  loosening  them  with  his  feet!" 

It  would  seem  that  the  enemy  had  carried  the  artifices 
so  far  as  to  employ  an  agent  who  understood  English. 
The  previous  dialogue  had  taken  place  in  his  own  lan 
guage,  but  it  was  evident,  by  the  sudden  manner  in  which 
his  feet  ceased  their  treacherous  occupation,  and  in  which 
the  countenance  of  Rivenoak  changed  from  sullen  ferocity 
to  a  smile  of  courtesy,  that  the  call  of  the  girl  was  un 
derstood.  Signing  to  his  companion  to  cease  his  efforts 
to  set  the  logs  in  motion,  he  advanced  to  the  end  of  the 
raft  which  was  nearest  to  the  platform,  and  spoke. 

"Why  should  Rivenoak  and  his  brother  leave  any  cloud 
between  them?"  he  said.  "They  are  both  wise,  both 
brave,  and  both  generous;  they  ought  to  part  friends. 
One  beast  shall  be  the  price  of  one  prisoner." 

"And,  Mingo,"  answered  the  other,  delighted  to  renew 
the  negotiation  on  almost  any  terms,  and  determined  to 
clench  the  bargain  if  possible  by  a  little  extra  liberality; 
"you'll  see  that  a  paleface  knows  how  to  pay  a  full  price, 
when  he  trades  with  an  open  heart  and  an  open  hand. 
Keep  the  beast  that  you  had  forgotten  to  give  back  to  me, 


244  THE   DEERSLAYER 

as  you  was  about  to  start,  and  which  I  forgot  to  ask  for, 
on  account  of  consarn  at  parting  in  anger.  Show  it  to 
your  chiefs.  When  you  bring  us  our  fri'nds  two  more 
shall  be  added  to  it — and" — hesitating  a  moment  in  dis 
trust  of  the  expediency  of  so  great  a  concession,  then 
deciding  in  its  favor- — "and,  if  we  see  them  afore  the 
sun  sets,  we  may  find  a  fourth  to  make  up  an  even  num 
ber." 

This  settled  the  matter.  Every  gleam  of  discontent 
vanished  from  the  dark  countenance  of  the  Iroquois,  and 
he  smiled  as  graciously,  if  not  as  sweetly,  as  Judith  Hut- 
ter  herself.  The  piece  already  in  his  possession  was 
again  examined,  and  an  ejaculation  of  pleasure  showed 
how  much  he  was  pleased  with  this  unexpected  termina 
tion  of  the  affair.  In  point  of  fact,  both  he  and  Deer- 
slayer  had  momentarily  forgotten  what  had  become  of  the 
subject  of  their  discussion,  in  the  warmth  of  their  feel 
ings;  but  such  had  not  been  the  case  with  Rivenoak's 
companion.  This  man  retained  the  piece,  and  had  fully 
made  up  his  mind,  were  it  claimed  under  such  circum 
stances  as  to  render  its  return  necessary,  to  drop  it  in  the 
lake,  trusting  to  his  being  able  to  find  it  again  at  some 
future  day.  This  desperate  expedient,  however,  was  no 
longer  necessary;  and,  after  repeating  the  terms  of  agree 
ment,  and  professing  to  understand  them,  the  two  Indians 
finally  took  their  departure,  moving  slowly  towards  the 
shore. 

"Can  any  faith  be  put  in  such  wretches?"  asked  Ju 
dith,  when  she  and  Hetty  had  come  out  on  the  platform, 
and  were  standing  at  the  side  of  Deerslayer  watching  the 
dull  movement  of  the  logs.  "Will  they  not  rather  keep 
the  toy  they  have,  and  send  us  off  some  bloody  proofs  of 
their  getting  the  better  of  us  in  cunning,  by  way  of  boast 
ing?  I've  heard  of  acts  as  bad  as  this." 

"No  doubt,  Judith;  no  manner  of  doubt,  if  it  wasn't 
for  Indian  natur'.  But  I'm  no  judge  of  a  red-skin,  if 
that  two-tailed  beast  doesn't  set  the  whole  tribe  in  some 
such  stir  as  a  stick  raises  in  a  bee-hive!  Now,  there's 
the  Sarpent;  a  man  with  narves  like  flint,  and  no  more 
cur'osity  in  every-day  consarns  than  is  befitting  pru 
dence.  Why,  he  was  so  overcome  with  the  sight  of  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  245 

creatur',  carved  as  it  is  in  bone,  that  I  felt  ashamed  for 
him!  That's  just  their  gifts,  however,  and  one  can't  well 
quarrel  with  a  man  for  his  gifts,  when  they  are  lawful. 
Chingachgook  will  soon  get  over  his  weakness,  and  re 
member  that  he's  a  chief,  and  that  he  comes  of  a  great 
stock,  and  has  a  renowned  name  to  support  and  uphold; 
but,  as  for  yonder  scamps,  there'll  be  no  peace  among 
'em  until  they  think  they've  got  possession  of  everything 
of  the  natur'  of  that  bit  of  carved  bone  that's  to  be  found 
among  Thomas  Mutter's  stores!" 

"They  only  know  of  the  elephants,  and  can  have  no 
hopes  about  the  other  things. ' ' 

"That's  true,  Judith;  still,  covetousness  is  a  craving 
feelin'.  They'll  say  if  the  pale  faces  have  these  curious 
beasts  with  two  tails,  who  knows  but  they've  got  some 
with  three,  or,  for  that  matter,  with  four!  That's  what 
the  schoolmasters  call  nat'ral  arithmetic,  and  'twill  be 
sartain  to  beset  the  feelin's  of  savages.  They'll  never  be 
easy  till  the  truth  is  known." 

"Do  you  think,  Deerslayer, "  inquired  Hetty,  in  her 
simple  and  innocent  manner,  "that  the  Iroquois  won't  let 
father  and  Hurry  go?  I  read  to  them  several  of  the  very 
best  verses  in  the  whole  Bible,  and  you  see  what  they 
have  done  already." 

The  hunter,  as  he  always  did,  listened  kindly  and  even 
affectionately  to  Hetty's  remarks;  then  he  mused  a  mo 
ment  in  silence.  There  was  something  like  a  flush  on  his 
cheek,  as  he  answered,  after  quite  a  minute  had  passed: 

"I  don't  know  whether  a  white  man  ought  to  be 
ashamed,  or  not,  to  own  he  can't  read;  but  such  is  my 
case,  Judith.  You  are  skillful,  I  find,  in  all  such  matters, 
while  I  have  only  studied  the  hand  of  God,  as  it  is  seen 
in  the  hills  and  the  valleys,  the  mountain  tops,  the 
streams,  the  forest,  and  the  springs.  Much  I'arning  may 
be  got  in  this  way,  as  well  as  out  of  books;  and  yet,  I 
sometimes  think  it  is  a  white  man's  gift  to  read!  When 
I  hear  from  the  mouths  of  the  Moravians  the  words  of 
which  Hetty  speaks,  they  raise  a  longing  in  my  mind, 
and  I  think  I  will  know  how  to  read  'em  myself;  but  the 
game  in  summer,  and  the  traditions,  and  lessons  in  war, 
and  other  matters,  have  always  kept  me  behindhand." 


246  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Shall  I  teach  you,  Deerslayer?"  asked  Hetty,  ear 
nestly.  "I'm  weak-minded,  they  say,  but  I  can  read  as 
well  as  Judith.  It  might  save  your  life,  to  know  how  to 
read  the  Bible  to  the  savages,  and  it  will  certainly  save 
your  soul;  for  mother  told  me  that,  again  and  again!" 

"Thankee,  Hetty — yes,  thankee,  with  all  my  heart. 
There  are  like  to  be  too  stirring  times  for  much  idleness; 
but,  aftar  it's  peace,  and  I  come  to  see  you  ag'in  on  this 
lake,  then  I'll  give  myself  up  to  it,  as  if  'twas  pleasure 
and  profit,  in  a  single  business.  Perhaps  I  ought  to  be 
ashamed,  Judith,  that  'tis  so;  but  truth  is  truth.  As  for 
these  Iroquois,  'tisn't  very  likely  they'll  forget  a  beast 
with  two  tails,  on  account  of  a  varse  or  two  from  the 
Bible.  I  rather  expect  they'll  give  up  the  prisoners,  and 
trust  to  some  sarcumvention  or  other  to  get  'em  back 
ag'in,  with  us  and  all  in  the  castle,  and  the  ark  in  the 
bargain.  Hows' ever,  we  must  humor  the  vagabonds  first, 
to  get  your  father  and  Hurry  out  of  their  hands,  and 
next,  to  keep  the  peace  atween  us  until  such  time  as  the 
Sarpent  there  can  make  out  to  get  off  his  betrothed  wife. 
If  there's  any  sudden  outbreakin'  of  anger  and  ferocity, 
the  Indians  will  send  off  all  their  women  and  children  to 
the  camp,  at  once;  whereas  by  keeping  'em  calm  and 
trustful,  we  may  manage  to  meet  Hist  at  the  spot  she  has 
mentioned.  Rather  than  have  the  bargain  fall  through 
now,  I'd  throw  in  half  a  dozen  of  them  effigy  bow-and- 
arrow  men,  such  as  we've  in  plenty  in  the  chist. " 

Judith  cheerfully  assented,  for  she  would  have  resigned 
even  the  flowered  brocade,  rather  than  not  redeem  her 
father  and  please  Deerslayer. 

The  prospects  of  success  were  now  so  encouraging  as 
to  raise  the  spirits  of  all  in  the  castle,  though  a  due 
watchfulness  on  the  movements  of  the  enemy  was  main 
tained.  Hour  passed  after  hour,  notwithstanding,  and 
the  sun  had  once  more  begun  to  fall  towards  the  summits 
of  the  western  hills,  and  yet  no  signs  were  seen  of  the 
return  of  the  raft.  By  dint  of  sweeping  the  shore  with 
the  glass,  Deerslayer  at  length  discovered  a  place  in  the 
dense  and  dark  woods,  where,  he  entertained  no  doubt, 
the  Iroquois  were  assembled  in  considerable  numbers.  It 
was  near  the  thicket  whence  the  raft  had  issued,  and  a 


THE   DEERSLAYER  247 

little  rill  that  trickled  into  the  lake  announced  the  vicin 
ity  of  a  spring.  Here,  then,  the  savages  were  probably 
holding  their  consultation,  and  the  decision  was  to  be 
made  that  went  to  settle  the  question  of  life  or  death  for 
the  prisoners.  There  was  one  ground  for  hope  in  spite 
of  the  delay,  however,  that  Deerslayer  did  not  fail  to 
place  before  his  anxious  companions.  It  was  far  more 
probable  that  the  Indians  had  left  their  prisoners  in  the 
camp,  than  that  they  had  encumbered  themselves,  by 
causing  them  to  follow  through  the  woods,  a  party  that 
was  out  on  a  merely  temporary  excursion.  If  such  was 
the  fact,  it  required  considerable  time  to  send  a  messenger 
the  necessary  distance,  and  to  bring  the  two  white  men  to 
the  spot  where  they  were  to  embark.  Encouraged  by 
these  reflections,  a  new  stock  of  patience  was  gathered, 
and  the  declension  of  the  sun  was  viewed  with  less  alarm. 

The  result  justified  Deerslayer 's  conjecture.  Not  long 
before  the  sun  had  finally  disappeared,  the  two  logs  were 
ceen  coming  out  of  the  thicket  again;  and,  as  it  drew 
near,  Judith  announced  that  her  father  and  Hurry,  both 
of  them  pinioned,  lay  on  the  bushes  in  the  center.  As 
before,  the  Indians  were  rowing.  The  latter  seemed  to 
be  conscious  that  the  lateness  of  the  hour  demanded  un 
usual  exertions,  and  contrary  to  the  habits  of  their  peo 
ple,  who  are  ever  averse  to  toil,  they  labored  hard  at  the 
rude  substitutes  for  oars.  In  consequence  of  this  dili 
gence  the  raft  occupied  its  old  station  in  about  half  the 
time  that  had  been  taken  in  the  previous  visits. 

Even  after  the  conditions  were  so  well  understood,  and 
matters  had  proceeded  so  far,  the  actual  transfer  of  the 
prisoners  was  not  a  duty  to  be  executed  without  difficulty. 
The  Iroquois  were  compelled  to  place  great  reliance  on 
the  good  faith  of  their  foes,  though  it  was  reluctantly 
given,  and  was  yielded  to  necessity  rather  than  to  confi 
dence.  As  soon  as  Hutter  and  Hurry  should  be  released 
the  party  in  the  castle  numbered  two  to  one,  as  opposed 
to  those  on  the  raft,  and  escape  by  flight  was  out  of  the 
question,  as  the  former  had  three  bark  canoes,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  defenses  of  the  house  and  the  ark.  All  this 
was  understood  by  both  parties,  and  it  is  probable  the 
arrangement  never  could  have  been  completed,  had  not 


248  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  honest  countenance  and  manner  of  Deerslayer  wrought 
their  usual  effect  on  Rivenoak. 

"My  brother  knows  I  put  faith  in  him,"  said  the  latter 
as  he  advanced  with  Hutter,  whose  legs  had  been  released 
to  enable  the  old  man  to  ascend  to  the  platform.  "One 
scalp — one  more  beast." 

"Stop,  Mingo, "  interrupted  the  hunter,  "keep  your 
prisoner  a  moment.  I  have  to  go  and  seek  the  means  of 
payment. ' ' 

This  excuse,  however,  though  true  in  part,  was  princi 
pally  a  fetch.  Deerslayer  left  the  platform,  and  entering 
the  house,  he  directed  Judith  to  collect  all  the  arms,  and 
to  conceal  them  in  her  own  room.  He  then  spoke  earnestly 
to  the  Delaware  who  stood  on  guard  as  before,  near  the 
entrance  of  the  building,  put  the  three  remaining  castles 
in  his  pocket,  and  returned. 

"You  are  welcome  back  to  your  old  abode,  Master  Hut 
ter,"  said  Deerslayer,  as  he  helped  the  other  up  on  the 
platform,  slyly  passing  into  the  hand  of  Rivenoak,  at  the 
same  time,  another  of  the  castles.  "You'll  find  your 
darters  right  glad  to  see  you;  and  here's  Hetty  come 
herself  to  say  as  much  in  her  own  behalf. ' ' 

Here  the  hunter  stopped  speaking  and  broke  out  into  a 
hearty  fit  of  his  silent  and  peculiar  laughter.  Hurry's 
legs  were  just  released,  and  he  had  been  placed  on  his 
feet.  So  tightly  had  the  ligatures  been  drawn,  that  the 
use  of  his  limbs  was  not  immediately  recovered,  and  the 
young  giant  presented,  in  good  sooth,  a  very  helpless  and 
a  somewhat  ludicrous  picture.  It  was  this  unusual  spec 
tacle,  particularly  the  bewildered  countenance,  that  ex 
cited  the  merriment  of  Deerslayer. 

"You  look  like  a  girdled  pine  in  a  clearin',  Harry 
Hurry,  that  is  rocking  in  a  gale,"  said  Deerslayer,  check 
ing  his  unseasonable  mirth,  more  from  delicacy  to  the 
others  than  from  any  respect  to  the  liberated  captive. 
"I'm  glad,  hows'ever,  to  see  that  you  haven't  had  your 
hair  dressed  by  any  of  the  Iroquois  barbers,  in  your  late 
visit  to  their  camp." 

"Harkee,  Deerslayer,"  returned  the  other,  a  little 
fiercely;  "it  will  be  prudent  for  you  to  deal  less  in  mirth 
and  more  in  friendship  on  this  occasion.  Act  like  a 


THE   DEERSLAYER  249 

Christian,  for  once,  and  not  like  a  laughing  gal  in  a  coun 
try  school  when  the  master's  back  is  turned,  and  just  tell 
me  whether  there's  any  feet  or  not  at  the  end  of  these 
legs  of  mine.  I  think  I  can  see  them,  but  as  for  feelin', 
they  might  as  well  be  down  on  the  banks  of  the  Mohawk, 
as  where  they  seem  to  be. ' ' 

' '  You'  ve  come  off  whole,  Hurry,  and  that's  not  a  little, ' ' 
answered  the  other,  secretly  passing  to  the  Indian  the  re 
mainder  of  the  stipulated  ransom,  and  making  an  earnest 
sign,  at  the  same  moment,  for  him  to  commence  his  re 
treat.  "You've  come  off  whole,  feet  and  all,  and  are 
only  a  little  numb,  from  a  tight  fit  of  the  withes.  Na- 
tur'll  soon  set  the  blood  in  motion,  and  then  you  may  be 
gin  to  dance,  to  celebrate  what  I  call  a  most  wonderful 
and  onexpected  deliverance  from  a  den  of  wolves." 

Deerslayer  released  the  arms  of  his  friends,  as  each 
landed,  and  the  two  were  now  stamping  and  limping 
about  on  the  platform,  growling,  and  uttering  denuncia 
tions,  as  they  endeavored  to  help  the  returning  circula 
tion.  They  had  been  tethered  too  long,  however,  to 
regain  the  use  of  their  limbs  in  a  moment;  and  the  Indians 
being  quite  as  diligent  on  their  return  as  on  their  ad 
vance,  the  raft  was  fully  a  hundred  yards  from  the  castle 
when  Hurry,  turning  accidentally  in  that  direction,  dis 
covered  how  fast  it  was  getting  beyond  the  reach  of  his 
vengeance.  By  this  time  he  could  move  with  tolerable 
facility,  though  still  numb  and  awkward.  Without  con 
sidering  his  own  situation,  however,  he  seized  the  rifle 
that  leaned  against  the  shoulder  of  Deerslayer,  and  at 
tempted  to  cock  and  present  it.  The  young  hunter  was 
too  quick  for  him.  Seizing  the  piece  he  wrenched  it 
from  the  hands  of  the  giant;  not,  however,  until  it  had 
gone  off  in  the  struggle,  when  pointed  directly  upwards. 
It  is  probable  that  Deerslayer  could  have  prevailed  in 
such  a  contest,  on  account  of  the  condition  of  Hurry's 
limbs;  but  the  instant  the  gun  went  off  the  latter  yielded, 
and  stumped  towards  the  house,  raising  his  legs  at  each 
step  quite  a  foot  from  the  ground,  from  an  uncertainty 
of  the  actual  position  of  his  feet.  But  he  had  been  an 
ticipated  by  Judith.  The  whole  stock  of  Hutter's  arms, 
which  had  been  left  in  the  building  as  a  resource  in  the 


250  THE   DEERSLAYER 

event  of  a  sudden  outbreaking  of  hostilities,  had  been 
removed,  and  were  already  secreted,  agreeably  to  Deer- 
slayer's  directions.  In  consequence  of  this  precaution, 
no  means  offered  by  which  March  could  put  his  designs 
in  execution. 

Disappointed  in  his  vengeance,  Hurry  seated  himself, 
and  like  Hutter,  for  half  an  hour,  he  was  too  much  occu 
pied  in  endeavoring  to  restore  the  circulation,  and  in  re 
gaining  the  use  of  his  limbs,  to  indulge  in  any  other 
reflections.  By  the  end  of  this  time  the  raft  had  disap 
peared,  and  night  was  beginning  to  throw  her  shadows 
once  more  over  the  whole  sylvan  scene.  Before  darkness 
had  completely  set  in,  and  while  the  girls  were  preparing 
the  evening  meal,  Deerslayer  related  to  Hutter  an  outline 
of  the  events  that  had  taken  place,  and  gave  him  a  history 
of  the  means  he  had  adopted  for  the  security  of  his 
children  and  property. 


CHAPTER  XV 

"As  long  as  Edwarde  rules  thys  lande, 
Ne  quiet  you  wylle  know  ; 
Your  sonnes  and  husbandes  shall  be  slayne 
And  brookes  with  bloode  shall  flow. 

"You  leave  youre  goode  and  lawfulle  kynge, 
Whenne  ynne  adversitye ; 
Like  me,  untoe  the  true  cause  stycke, 
And  for  the  true  cause  dye." 

— CHATTERTON. 

THE  calm  of  the  evening  was  again  in  singular  contrast, 
while  its  gathering  gloom  was  in  as  singular  unison  with 
the  passions  of  men.  The  sun  was  set,  and  the  rays  of 
the  retiring  luminary  ceased  to  gild  the  edges  of  the  few 
clouds  that  had  sufficient  openings  to  admit  the  passage 
of  its  fading  light.  The  canopy  overhead  was  heavy  and 
dense,  promising  another  night  of  darkness,  but  the  sur 
face  of  the  lake  was  scarcely  disturbed  by  a  ripple.  There 
was  a  little  air,  though  it  scarce  deserved  to  be  termed 
wind.  Still,  being  damp  and  heavy,  it  had  a  certain 
force.  The  party  in  the  castle  were  as  gloomy  and  silent 
as  the  scene.  The  two  ransomed  prisoners  felt  humbled 
and  dishonored,  but  their  humility  partook  of  the  rancor 
of  revenge.  They  were  far  more  disposed  to  remember 
the  indignity  with  which  they  had  been  treated  during 
the  last  few  hours  of  their  captivity,  than  to  feel  grateful 
for  the  previous  indulgence.  Then  that  keen-sighted 
monitor  conscience,  by  reminding  them  of  the  retributive 
justice  of  all  they  had  endured,  goaded  them  rather  to 
turn  the  tables  on  their  enemies  than  to  accuse  themselves. 
As  for  the  others  they  were  thoughtful  equally  from  re 
gret  and  joy.  Deerslayer  and  Judith  felt  most  of  the 
former  sensation,  though  from  very  different  causes, 
while  Hetty  for  the  moment  was  perfectly  happy.  The 
Delaware  had  also  lively  pictures  of  felicity  in  the  pros 
pect  of  so  soon  regaining  his  betrothed.  Under  such  cir 
cumstances  and  in  this  mood,  all  were  taking  the  evening 
meal. 

251 


252  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Old  Tom!"  cried  Hurry,  bursting  into  a  fit  of  bois 
terous  laughter,  "you  looked  amazin'ly  like  a  tethered 
bear,  as  you  was  stretched  on  them  hemlock  boughs,  and 
I  only  wonder  you  didn't  growl  more.  Well,  it's  over, 
and  syth's  and  lamentations  won't  rnend  the  matter! 
There's  the  blackguard  Rivenoak,  he  that  brought  us  off, 
has  an  oncommon  scalp,  and  I'd  give  as  much  for  it  myself 
as  the  colony.  Yes,  I  feel  as  rich  as  the  governor,  in 
these  matters  now,  and  will  lay  down  with  them  doubloon 
for  doubloon.  Judith,  darling,  did  you  mourn  for  me 
much,  when  I  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Philipsteins?" 

The  last  were  a  family  of  German  descent  on  the  Mo 
hawk,  to  whom  Hurry  had  a  great  antipathy,  and  whom 
he  had  confounded  with  the  enemies  of  Judea. 

"Our  tears  have  raised  the  lake,  Harry  March,  as  you 
might  have  seen  by  the  shore!"  returned  Judith,  with  a 
feigned  levity  that  she  was  far  from  feeling.  "That 
Hetty  and  I  should  have  grieved  for  father,  was  to  be 
expected;  but  we  fairly  rained  tears  for  you." 

"We  were  sorry  for  poor  Hurry,  as  well  as  for  father, 
Judith!"  put  in  her  innocent  and  unconscious  sister. 

"True,  girl,  true;  but  we  feel  sorrow  for  everybody 
that's  in  trouble,  you  know,"  returned  the  other  in  a 
quick,  admonitory  manner,  and  a  low  tone.  "Neverthe 
less,  we  are  glad  to  see  you,  Master  Mai  ch,  and  out  of 
the  hands  of  the  Philipsteins,  too." 

"Yes,  they're  a  bad  set,  and  so  is  the  other  brood  of 
'em,  down  on  the  river.  It's  a  wonderrrsnt  to  me  how 
you  got  us  off,  Deerslayer;  and  I  forgive  you  the  inter 
ference  that  prevented  my  doin'  justice  on  that  vagabond, 
for  this  small  sarvice.  Let  us  into  the  secret,  that  we 
may  do  you  the  same  good  turn,  at  need.  Was  it  by 
lying,  or  by  coaxing?" 

"By  neither,  Hurry,  but  by  buying.  We  paid  a  ransom 
for  you  both,  and  that,  too,  at  a  price  so  high,  you  had 
well  be  on  your  guard  ag'in  another  captyvement,  lest 
our  stock  of  goods  shouldn't  hold  out." 

"A  ransom!  Old  Tom  has  paid  the  fiddler,  then,  for 
nothing  of  mine  would  have  bought  off  the  hair,  much 
less  the  skin.  I  didn't  think  men  as  keen  set  as  them 
vagabonds  would  let  a  fellow  up  so  easy,  when  they  had 


THE   DEERSLAYER  253 

him  fairly  at  a  close  hug,  and  floored.  But  money  is 
money,  and  somehow  it's  unnat'ral  hard  to  withstand. 
Injin,  or  white  man,  'tis  pretty  much  the  same.  It  must 
be  owned,  Judith,  there's  a  considerable  of  human  natur' 
in  mankind  ginirally,  arterall!" 

Hutter  now  rose,  and  signing  to  Deerslayer,  he  led  him 
to  an  inner  room,  where,  in  answer  to  his  questions,  he 
first  learned  the  price  that  had  been  paid  for  his  release. 
The  old  man  expressed  neither  resentment  nor  surprise  at 
the  inroad  that  had  been  made  on  his  chest,  though  he 
did  manifest  some  curiosity  to  know  how  far  the  investi 
gation  of  its  contents  had  been  carried.  He  also  inquired 
where  the  key  had  been  found.  The  habitual  frankness 
of  Deerslayer  prevented  any  prevarication,  and  the  con 
ference  soon  terminated  by  the  return  of  the  two  to  the 
outer  room,  to  that  which  served  for  the  double  purpose 
of  parlor  and  kitchen. 

"I  wonder  if  it's  peace  or  war  between  us  and  the  sav 
ages!"  exclaimed  Hurry,  just  as  Deerslayer,  who  had 
paused  for  a  single  instant,  listened  attentively,  and  was 
passing  through  the  outer  door  without  stopping.  "This 
givin'  up  captives  has  a  friendly  look,  and  when  men 
have  traded  together,  on  a  fair  and  honorable  footing, 
they  ought  to  part  fri'nds,  for  that  occasion,  at  least. 
Come  back,  Deerslayer,  and  let  us  have  your  judgment, 
for  I'm  beginnin'  to  think  more  of  you,  since  your  late 
behavior,  than  I  used  to  do." 

"There's  an  answer  to  your  question,  Hurry,  since 
you're  in  such  haste  to  come  ag'in  to  blows." 

As  Deerslayer  spoke,  he  threw  on  the  table  on  which 
the  other  was  reclining  with  one  elbow,  a  sort  of  minia 
ture  fagot,  composed  of  a  dozen  sticks  bound  tightly  to 
gether  with  a  deer-skin  thong.  March  seized  it  eagerly, 
and  holding  it  close  to  a  blazing  knot  of  pine  that  lay  on 
the  hearth,  and  which  gave  out  all  the  light  there  was  in 
the  room,  ascertained  that  the  ends  of  the  several  sticks 
had  been  dipped  in  blood. 

"If  this  isn't  plain  English, ' '  said  the  reckless  frontiers 
man,  "it's  plain  Injin!  Here's  what  they  call  a  diclira- 
tion  of  war,  down  at  York,  Judith.  How  did  you  come 
by  this  defiance,  Deerslayer?" 


254  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Fairly  enough.  It  lay,  not  a  minut'  since,  in  what 
you  call  Floatin'  Tom's  door-yard." 

"How  came  it  there?  It  never  fell  from  the  clouds, 
Judith,  as  little  toads  sometimes  do,  and  then  it  don't 
rain.  You  must  prove  where  it  come  from,  Deerslayer, 
or  we  shall  suspect  some  design  to  skear  them  that  would 
have  lost  their  wits  long  ago,  if  fear  could  drive  'em 
away. ' ' 

Deerslayer  had  approached  a  window,  and  cast  a  glance 
out  of  it  on  the  dark  aspect  of  the  lake.  As  if  satisfied 
with  what  he  beheld,  he  drew  near  Hurry  and  took  the 
bundle  of  sticks  into  his  own  hand,  examining  it  atten 
tively. 

"Yes,  this  is  an  Indian  declaration  of  war,  sure 
enough,"  he  said,  "and  it's  a  proof  how  little  you're 
suited  to  be  on  the  path  it  has  traveled,  Harry  March, 
that  it  has  got  here,  and  you  never  the  wiser  as  to  the 
means.  The  savages  may  have  left  the  scalp  on  your 
head,  but  they  must  have  taken  off  the  ears;  else  you'd 
have  heard  the  stirring  of  the  water  made  by  the  lad  as 
he  come  off  ag'in,  on  his  two  logs.  His  arr'nd  was  to 
throw  these  sticks  at  our  door,  as  much  to  say,  we've 
struck  the  war-post  since  the  trade,  and  the  next  thing 
will  be  to  strike  you." 

'  'The  prowling  wolves!  But  hand  me  that  rifle,  Judith, 
and  I'll  send  an  answer  back  to  the  vagabonds  through 
their  messenger." 

"Not  while  I  stand  by,  Master  March,"  coolly  put  in 
Deerslayer,  motioning  for  the  other  to  forbear.  "Faith 
is  faith,  whether  given  to  a  red-skin  or  to  a  Christian. 
The  lad  lighted  a  knot,  and  came  off  fairly,  under  its 
"blaze,  to  give  us  this  warning;  and  no  man  here  should 
harm  him  while  empl'yed  on  such  an  arr'nd.  There's  no 
use  in  words,  for  the  boy  is  too  cunning  to  leave  the  knot 
burning,  now  his  business  is  done,  and  the  night  is  already 
too  dark  for  a  rifle  to  have  any  sartainty." 

"That  may  be  true  enough,  as  to  a  gun,  but  there's 
virtue  still  in  a  canoe,"  answered  Hurry,  passing  towards 
the  door  with  enormous  strides,  carrying  a  rifle  in  his 
hands.  "The  being  doesn't  live  that  shall  stop  me  from 
following,  and  bringing  back  that  riptyle's  scalp.  The 


THE   DEERSLAYER  255 

more  on  'em  that  you  crush  in  the  egg,  the  fewer  there'll 
be  to  dart  at  you  in  the  woods!" 

Judith  trembled  like  the  aspen,  she  scarce  knew  why 
herself,  though  there  was  the  prospect  of  a  scene  of  vio 
lence;  for,  if  Hurry  was  fierce  and  overbearing  in  the 
consciousness  of  his  vast  strength,  Deerslayer  had  about 
him  the  calm  determination  that  promises  greater  perse 
verance,  and  a  resolution  more  likely  to  effect  its  object. 
It  was  the  stern,  resolute  eye  of  the  latter,  rather  than 
the  noisy  vehemence  of  the  first,  that  excited  her  appre 
hensions.  Hurry  soon  reached  the  spot  where  the  canoe 
was  fastened,  but  not  before  Deerslayer  had  spoken  in  a 
quick,  earnest  voice  to  the  Serpent,  in  Delaware.  The 
latter  had  been  the  first,  in  truth,  to  hear  the  sounds  of  the 
oars,  and  he  had  gone  upon  the  platform  in  jealous  watch 
fulness.  The  light  satisfied  him  that  a  message  was  com 
ing,  and  when  the  boy  cast  his  bundle  of  sticks  at  his 
feet,  it  neither  moved  his  anger  nor  induced  surprise. 
He  merely  stood  at  watch,  rifle  in  hand,  to  make  certain 
that  no  treachery  lay  behind  the  defiance.  As  Deerslayer 
now  called  to  him,  he  stepped  into  the  canoe,  and  quick 
as  thought  removed  the  paddles.  Hurry  was  furious  when 
he  found  that  he  was  deprived  of  the  means  of  proceed 
ing.  He  first  approached  the  Indian  with  loud  menaces, 
and  even  Deerslayer  stood  aghast  at  the  probable  conse 
quences.  March  shook  his  sledge-hammer  fists  and  flour 
ished  his  arms,  as  he  drew  near  the  Indian,  and  all  ex 
pected  he  would  attempt  to  fell  the  Delaware  to  the 
earth;  one  of  them,  at  least,  was  well  aware  that  such  an 
experiment  would  be  followed  by  immediate  bloodshed. 
But  even  Hurry  was  awed  by  the  stern  composure  of  the 
chief,  and  he,  too,  knew  that  such  a  man  was  not  to  be 
outraged  with  impunity;  he  therefore  turned  to  vent  his 
rage  on  Deerslayer,  where  he  foresaw  no  consequences  so 
terrible.  What  might  have  been  the  result  of  this  second 
demonstration,  if  completed,  is  unknown,  since  it  was 
never  made. 

"Hurry,"  said  a  gentle,  soothing  voice  at  his  elbow, 
"it's  wicked  to  be  so  angry,  and  God  will  not  overlook  it. 
The  Iroquois  treated  you  well,  and  they  didn't  take  your 
scalp,  though  you  and  father  wanted  to  take  theirs." 


2" 3  THE   DEERSLAYER 

:?he  influence  of  mildness  on  passion  is  well  known. 

ity,  too,  had  earned  a  sort  of  consideration,  that  had 
ii  er  before  been  enjoyed  by  her,  through  the  self- 
devotion  and  decision  of  her  recent  conduct.  Perhaps  her 
established  mental  imbecility,  by  removing  all  distrust  of 
a  wish  to  control,  aided  her  influence.  Let  the  cause  be 
as  questionable  as  it  might,  the  effect  was  sufficiently 
certain.  Instead  of  throttling  his  old  fellow-traveler, 
Hurry  turned  to  the  girl,  and  poured  out  a  portion  of  his 
discontent,  if  none  of  his  anger,  in  her  attentive  ears. 

"  'Tis  too  bad,  Hetty!"  he  exclaimed;  "as  bad  as  a 
county  jail,  or  a  lack  of  beaver,  to  get  a  creatur'  into 
your  very  trap,  and  then  to  see  it  get  off.  As  much  as 
six  first  quality  skins,  in  valie,  has  paddled  off  on  them 
clumsy  logs,  when  twenty  strokes  of  a  well-turned  paddle 
would  overtake  'em.  I  say  in  valie,  for  as  to  the  boy  in 
the  way  of  natur',  he  is  only  a  boy,  and  is  worth  neither 
more  nor  less  than  one.  Deerslayer,  you've  been  ontrue 
to  your  frr  nds  in  letting  such  a  chance  slip  through  my 
fingers  as  well  as  your  own." 

The  answer  was  given  quietly,  but  with  a  voice  as 
steady  as  a  fearless  nature  and  the  consciousness  of  recti 
tude  could  make  it.  "I  should  have  been  ontrue  to  the 
right,  had  I  done  otherwise,"  returned  the  Deerslayer, 
steadily;  "and  neither  you  nor  any  other  man  has  author 
ity  to  demand  that  much  of  me.  The  lad  came  on  a  law 
ful  business,  and  the  meanest  red-skin  that  roams  the 
woods  would  be  ashamed  of  not  respecting  his  arr'nd. 
But  he's  now  far  beyond  your  reach,  Master  March,  and 
there's  little  use  in  talking,  like  a  couple  of  women,  of 
what  can  no  longer  be  helped." 

So  saying,  Deerslayer  turned  away,  like  one  resolved  to 
waste  no  more  words  on  the  subject,  while  Hutter  pulled 
Harry  by  the  sleeve,  and  led  him  into  the  ark.  There 
they  sat  long  in  private  conference.  In  the  meantime, 
the  Indian  and  his  friend  had  their  secret  consultation; 
for,  though  it  wanted  some  three  or  four  hours  to  the 
rising  of  the  star,  the  former  could  not  abstain  from  can 
vassing  his  scheme,  and  from  opening  his  heart  to  the 
other.  Judith,  too,  yielded  to  her  softer  feelings,  and 
listened  to  the  whole  of  Hetty's  artless  narrative  of  what 


THE   DEERSLAYER  257 

occurred  after  she  had  landed.  The  woods  had  few  terrors 
for  either  of  these  girls,  educated  as  they  had  been,  and 
accustomed  as  they  were  to  look  out  daily  at  their  rich 
expanse,  or  to  wander  beneath  their  dark  shades;  but  the 
elder  sister  felt  that  she  would  have  hesitated  about  thus 
venturing  alone  into  an  Iroquois  camp.  Concerning  Hist, 
Hetty  was  not  very  communicative.  She  spoke  of  her 
kindness  and  gentleness,  and  of  the  meeting  in  the  forest; 
but  the  secret  of  Chingachgook  was  guarded  with  a 
shrewdness  and  fidelity  that  many  a  sharper-witted  girl 
might  have  failed  to  display. 

At  length  the  several  conferences  were  broken  up  by 
the  reappearance  of  Hutter  on  the  platform.  Here  he 
assembled  the  whole  party,  and  communicated  as  much  of 
his  intentions  as  he  deemed  expedient.  Of  the  arrange 
ment  made  by  Deerslayer,  to  abandon  the  castle  during 
the  night,  and  to  take  refuge  in  the  ark,  he  entirely  ap 
proved.  It  struck  him  as  it  had  the  others,  as  the  only 
effectual  means  of  escaping  destruction.  Now  that  the 
savages  had  turned  their  attention  to  the  construction  of 
rafts,  no  doubt  could  exist  of  their  at  least  making  an 
attempt  to  carry  the  building,  and  the  message  of  the 
bloody  sticks  sufficiently  showed  their  confidence  in  their 
own  success.  In  short  the  old  man  viewed  the  night  as 
critical,  and  he  called  on  all  to  get  ready  as  soon  as  possi 
ble,  in  order  to  abandon  the  dwelling,  temporarily  at 
least,  if  not  forever. 

These  communications  made,  everything  proceeded 
promptly,  and  with  intelligence;  the  castle  was  secured 
in  the  manner  already  described,  the  canoes  were  with 
drawn  from  the  dock  and  fastened  to  the  ark  by  the  side 
of  the  other;  the  few  necessaries  that  had  been  left  in  the 
house  were  transferred  to  the  cabin,  the  fire  was  ex 
tinguished,  and  all  embarked. 

The  vicinity  of  the  hills  with  their  drapery  of  pines, 
had  the  effect  to  render  nights  that  were  obscure  darker 
than  common  on  the  lake.  As  usual,  however,  a  belt  of 
comparative  light  was  stretched  through  the  center  of  the 
sheet,  while  it  was  within  the  shadows  of  the  mountains 
that  the  gloom  rested  most  heavily  on  the  water.  The 
island  or  castle  stood  in  this  belt  of  comparative  light, 
17 


258  THE   DEERSLAYER 

but  still  the  night  was  so  dark  as  to  cover  the  departure 
of  the  ark.  At  the  distance  of  an  observer  on  the  shore, 
her  movements  could  not  be  seen  at  all,  more  particularly 
as  a  background  of  dark  hillside  filled  up  the  perspective 
of  every  view  that  was  taken  diagonally  or  directly  across 
the  water.  The  prevalent  wind  on  the  lakes  of  that  region 
is  west,  but  owing  to  the  avenues  formed  by  the  moun 
tains,  it  is  frequently  impossible  to  tell  the  true  direction 
of  the  currents,  as  they  often  vary  within  short  distances, 
and  brief  differences  of  time.  This  is  truer  in  light 
fluctuating  puffs  of  air  than  in  steady  breezes;  though 
the  squalls  if  even  the  latter  are  familiarly  known  to  be 
uncertain  and  baffling  in  all  mountainous  regions  and 
narrow  waters.  On  the  present  occasion,  Hutter  himself 
(as  he  shoved  the  ark  from  her  berth  at  the  side  of  the 
platform)  was  at  a  loss  to  pronounce  which  way  the  wind 
blew.  In  common,  this  difficulty  was  solved  by  the  clouds, 
which,  floating  high  above  the  hill-tops,  as  a  matter  of 
course  obeyed  the  currents;  but  now  the  whole  vault  of 
heaven  seemed  a  mass  of  gloomy  wall.  Not  an  opening 
of  any  sort  was  visible,  and  Chingachgook  was  already 
trembling  lest  the  non-appearance  of  the  star  might  pre 
vent  his  betrothed  from  being  punctual  to  her  appoint 
ment.  Under  circumstances,  Hutter  hoisted  his  sail, 
seemingly  with  the  sole  intention  of  getting  away  from 
the  castle,  as  it  might  be  dangerous  to  remain  much 
longer  in  its  vicinity.  The  air  soon  filled  the  cloth,  and 
when  the  scow  was  got  under  command,  and  the  sail  was 
properly  trimmed,  it  was  found  that  the  direction  was 
southerly,  inclining  towards  the  eastern  shore.  No  better 
course  offering  for  the  purposes  of  the  party,  the  singular 
craft  was  suffered  to  skim  the  surface  of  the  water  in  this 
direction  for  more  than  an  hour,  when  a  change  in  the 
currents  of  the  air  drove  them  over  towards  the  camp. 

Deerslayer  watched  all  the  movements  of  Hutter  and 
Harry  with  jealous  attention.  At  first  he  did  not  know 
whether  to  ascribe  the  course  they  held  to  accident  or  to 
design;  but  he  now  began  to  suspect  the  latter.  Familiar 
as  Hutter  was  with  the  lake,  it  was  easy  to  deceive  one 
who  had  little  practice  on  the  water;  and  let  his  inten 
tions  be  what  they  might,  it  was  evident,  ere  two  hours 


THE   DEERSLAYER  259 

had  elapsed,  that  the  ark  had  got  over  sufficient  space  to 
be  within  a  hundred  rods  of  the  shore,  directly  abreast  of 
the  known  position  of  the  camp.  For  a  considerable  time 
previously  to  reaching  this  point,  Hurry,  who  had  some 
knowledge  of  the  Algonquin  language,  had  been  in  close 
conference  with  the  Indian,  and  the  result  was  now  an 
nounced  by  the  latter  to  Deerslayer,  who  had  been  a  cold, 
not  to  say  distrusted  looker-on  of  all  that  passed. 

"My  old  father  and  my  young  brother,  the  Big  Pine," 
for  so  the  Delaware  had  named  March,  "want  to  see 
Huron  scalps  at  their  belts,"  said  Chingachgook  to  his 
friend.  "There  is  room  for  some  on  the  girdle  of  the 
Serpent,  and  his  people  will  look  for  them  when  he  goes 
back  to  his  village.  Their  eyes  must  not  be  left  long  in  a 
fog,  but  they  must  see  what  they  look  for.  I  know  that 
my  brother  has  a  white  hand ;  he  will  not  strike  even  the 
dead.  He  wiL  wait  for  us;  when  we  come  back  he  will 
not  hide  his  face  from  shame  for  his  friend.  The  great 
Serpent  of  the  Mohicans  must  be  worthy  to  go  on  the 
warpath  with  Hawkeye." 

"Ay,  ay,  Sarpent,  I  see  how  it  is;  that  name's  to 
stick,  and  in  time  I  shall  get  to  be  known  by  it  instead 
of  Deerslayer;  well,  if  such  honors  will  come,  the  hum 
blest  of  us  all  must  be  willing  to  abide  by  'em.  As  for 
your  looking  for  scalps,  it  belongs  to  your  gifts,  and  I 
see  no  harm  in  it.  Be  marciful,  Sarpent,  hows'ever;  be 
marciful,  I  beseech  of  you.  It  surely  can  do  no  harm  to 
a  red-skin's  honor  to  show  a  little  marcy.  As  for  the  old 
man,  the  father  of  two  young  women,  who  might  ripen 
better  feelin's  in  his  heart,  and  Harry  March  here,  who, 
pine  as  he  is,  might  better  bear  the  fruit  of  a  more  Chris 
tianized  tree,  as  for  them  two,  I  leave  them  in  the  hands 
of  the  white  man's  God.  Wasn't  it  for  the  bloody  sticks, 
no  man  should  go  ag'in  the  Mingoes  this  night,  seein' 
that  it  would  dishonor  our  faith  and  characters;  but  them 
that  crave  blood  can't  complain  if  blood  is  shed  at  their 
call.  Still,  Sarpent,  you  can  be  marciful.  Don't  begin 
your  career  with  the  wails  of  women  and  the  cries  of 
children.  Bear  yourself  so  that  Hist  will  smile,  and  not 
weep,  when  she  meets  you.  Go,  then;  and  the  Manitou 


presarve  you 


260  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"My  brother  will  stay  here  with  the  scow.  Wah  will 
soon  be  standing  on  the  shore  waiting,  and  Chingachgook 
must  hasten." 

The  Indian  then  joined  his  two  co-adventurers,  and 
first  lowering  the  sail,  they  all  three  entered  a  canoe,  and 
left  the  side  of  the  ark.  Neither  Hutter  nor  March  spoke 
to  Deerslayer  concerning  their  object,  or  the  probable 
length  of  their  absence.  All  this  had  been  confided  to  the 
Indian,  who  had  acquitted  himself  of  the  trust  with 
characteristic  brevity.  As  soon  as  the  canoe  was  out  of 
sight,  and  that  occurred  ere  the  paddles  had  given  a  dozen 
strokes,  Deerslayer  made  the  best  dispositions  he  could 
to  keep  the  ark  as  nearly  stationary  as  possible;  and  then 
he  sat  down  in  the  end  of  the  scow,  to  chewr  the  cud  of 
his  own  bitter  reflections.  It  was  not  long,  however,  be 
fore  he  was  joined  by  Judith,  who  sought  every  occasion 
to  be  near  him,  managing  her  attack  on  his  affections 
with  the  address  that  was  suggested  by  native  coquetry, 
aided  by  no  little  practise,  but  which  received  much  of 
its  most  dangerous  power  from  the  touch  of  feeling  that 
threw  around  her  manner,  voice,  accents,  thoughts,  and 
acts,  the  indescribable  witchery '  of  natural  tenderness. 
Leaving  the  young  hunter  exposed  to  these  dangerous 
assailants,  it  has  become  our  more  immediate  business  to 
follow  the  party  in  the  canoe  to  the  shore. 

The  controlling  influence  that  led  Hutter  and  Hurry  to 
repeat  their  experiment  against  the  camp  was  precisely 
that  which  had  induced  the  first  attempt,  a  little  height 
ened,  perhaps,  by  the  desire  of  revenge.  But  neither  of 
these  two  rude  beings,  so  ruthless  in  all  things  that 
touched  the  rights  and  interests  of  the  red-man,  though 
possessing  veins  of  human  feeling  on  other  matters,  was 
much  actuated  by  any  other  desire  than  a  heartless  long 
ing  for  profit.  Hurry  had  felt  angered  at  his  sufferings, 
when  first  liberated,  it  is  true,  but  that  emotion  soon  dis 
appeared  in  the  habitual  love  of  gold,  which  he  sought 
with  the  reckless  avidity  of  a  needy  spendthrift,  rather 
than  with  the  ceaseless  longings  of  a  miser.  In  short, 
the  motive  that  urged  them  both  so  soon  to  go  against  the 
Hurons,  was  an  habitual  contempt  of  their  enemy,  acting 
on  the  unceasing  cupidity  of  prodigality.  The.  additional 


THE   DEERSLAYER  261 

chances  of  success,  however,  had  their  place  in  the  forma 
tion  of  the  second  enterprise.  It  was  known  that  a  large 
portion  of  the  warriors — perhaps  all — were  encamped  for 
the  night  abreast  of  the  castle,  and  it  was  hoped  that  the 
scalps  of  helpless  victims  would  be  the  consequence.  To 
confess  the  truth,  Hutter  in  particular — he  who  had  just 
left  two  daughters  behind  him — expected  to  find  few  be 
sides  women  and  children  in  the  camp.  This  fact  had 
been  but  slightly  alluded  to  in  his  communications  with 
Hurry,  and  with  Chingachgook  it  had  been  kept  entirely 
out  of  view.  If  the  Indian  thought  of  it  at  all,  it  was 
known  only  to  himself. 

Hutter  steered  the  canoe;  Hurry  had  manfully  taken 
his  post  in  the  bows,  and  Chingachgook  stood  in  the  cen 
ter.  We  say  stood,  for  all  three  were  so  skilled  in  the 
management  of  that  species  of  frail  bark,  as  to  be  able  to 
keep  erect  positions  in  the  midst  of  the  darkness.  The 
approach  to  the  shore  was  made  with  great  caution,  and 
the  landing  effected  in  safety.  The  three  now  prepared 
their  arms,  and  began  their  tiger-like  approach  upon  the 
camp.  The  Indian  was  in  the  lead,  his  two  companions 
treading  in  his  footsteps  with  a  stealthy  cautiousness  of 
manner  that  rendered  their  progress  almost  literally 
noiseless.  Occasionally  a  dried  twig  snapped  under  the 
heavy  weight  of  the  gigantic  Hurry,  or  the  blundering 
clumsiness  of  the  old  man;  but,  had  the  Indian  walked 
on  air,  his  step  could  not  have  seemed  lighter.  The  great 
object  was  first  to  discover  the  position  of  the  fire,  which 
was  known  to  be  the  center  of  the  whole  encampment. 
At  length  the  keen  eye  of  Chingachgook  caught  a  glimpse 
of  this  important  guide.  It  was  glimmering  at  a  distance 
among  the  trunks  of  trees.  There  was  no  blaze,  but 
merely  a  single  smouldering  brand,  as  suited  the  hour; 
the  savages  usually  retiring  and  rising  with  the  revolu 
tions  of  the  sun. 

As  soon  as  a  view  was  obtained  of  this  beacon,  the 
progress  of  the  adventurers  became  swifter  and  more 
certain.  In  a  few  minutes  they  got  to  the  edge  of  the 
circle  of  little  huts.  Here  they  stopped  to  survey  their 
ground,  and  to  concert  their  movements.  The  darkness 
was  so  deep  as  to  render  it  difficult  to  distinguish  any- 


262  THE   DEERSLAYER 

thing  but  the  glowing  brand,  the  trunks  of  the  nearest 
trees,  and  the  endless  canopy  of  leaves  that  veiled  the 
clouded  heaven.  It  was  ascertained,  however,  that  a  hut 
was  quite  near,^and  Chingachgook  attempted  to  recon- 
noiter  its  interior.  The  manner  in  which  the  Indian  ap 
proached  the  place  that  was  supposed  to  contain  enemies, 
resembled  the  wily  advances  of  the  cat  on  the  bird.  As 
he  drew  near,  he  stooped  to  his  hands  and  knees,  for  the 
entrance  was  so  low  as  to  require  this  attitude,  even  as  a 
convenience.  Before  trusting  his  head  inside,  however, 
he  listened  long  to  catch  the  breathing  of  sleepers.  No 
sound  was  audible,  and  this  human  Serpent  thrust  his 
head  in  at  the  door,  or  opening,  as  another  serpent  would 
have  peered  in  on  the  nest.  Nothing  rewarded  the  haz 
ardous  experiment;  for,  after  feeling  cautiously  with  a 
hand,  the  place  was  found  to  be  empty. 

The  Delaware  proceeded  in  the  same  guarded  manner 
to  one  or  two  more  of  the  huts,  finding  all  in  the  same 
situation.  He  then  returned  to  his  companions,  and  in 
formed  them  that  the  Hurons  had  deserted  their  camp. 
A  little  further  inquiry  corroborated  this  fact,  and  it  only 
remained  to  return  to  the  canoe.  The  different  manner 
in  which  the  adventurers  bore  the  disappointment,  is 
worthy  of  a  passing  remark.  The  chief,  who  had  landed 
solely  with  the  hope  of  acquiring  renown,  stood  station 
ary,  leaning  against  a  tree,  waiting  the  pleasure  of  his 
companions.  He  was  mortified,  and  a  little  surprised,  it 
is  true;  but  he  bore  all  with  dignity,  falling  back  for 
support  on  the  sweeter  expectations  that  still  lay  in  re 
serve  for  that  evening.  It  was  true,  he  could  not  now 
hope  to  meet  his  mistress  with  the  proofs  of  his  daring 
and  skill  on  his  person,  but  he  might  still  hope  to  meet 
her;  and  the  warrior,  who  was  zealous  in  the  search, 
might  always  hope  to  be  honored.  On  the  other  hand, 
Hutter  and  Hurry,  who  had  been  chiefly  instigated  by  the 
basest  of  all  human  motives,  the  thirst  of  gain,  could 
scarce  control  their  feelings.  They  went  prowling  among 
the  huts,  as  if  they  expected  to  find  some  forgotten  child 
or  careless  sleeper;  and  again  and  again  did  they  vent 
their  spite  on  the  insensible  huts,  several  of  which  were 
actually  torn  to  pieces,  and  scattered  about  the  place. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  263 

Nay,  they  even  quarreled  with  each  other,  and  fierce  re 
proaches  passed  between  them.  It  is  possible  some  serious 
consequences  might  have  occurred,  had  not  the  Delaware 
interfered  to  remind  them  of  the  danger  of  being  so  un 
guarded,  and  of  the  necessity  of  returning  to  the  ark. 
This  checked  the  dispute,  and  in  a  few  minutes  they  were 
paddling  sullenly  back  to  the  spot  where  they  hoped  to 
find  that  vessel. 

It  has  been  said  that  Judith  took  her  place  at  the  side 
of  Deerslayer,  soon  after  the  adventurers  departed.  For 
a  short  time  the  girl  was  silent,  and  the  hunter  was 
ignorant  which  of  the  sisters  had  approached  him;  but  he 
soon  recognized  the  rich,  full-spirited  voice  of  the  elder, 
as  her  feelings  escaped  in  words. 

"This  is  a  terrible  life  for  women,  Deerslayer!"  she 
exclaimed.  "Would  to  heaven  I  could  see  an  end  of  it!" 

"The  life  is  well  enough,  Judith,"  was  the  answer, 
"being  pretty  much  as  it  is  used  or  abused.  What  would 
you  wish  to  see  in  its  place?" 

"I  should  be  a  thousand  times  happier  to  live  nearer  to 
civilized  beings — where  there  are  farms  and  churches, 
and  houses  built  as  it  might  be  by  Christian  hands;  and 
where  my  sleep  at  night  would  be  sweet  and  tranquil!  A 
dwelling  near  one  of  the  forts  would  be  far  better  than 
this  dreary  place  where  we  live!" 

"Nay,  Judith,  I  can't  agree  too  lightly  in  the  truth  of 
all  this.  If  forts  are  good  to  keep  off  inimies,  they  some 
times  hold  inimies  of  their  own.  I  don't  think  'twould 
be  for  your  good,  or  the  good  of  Hetty,  to  live  near  one; 
and  if  I  must  say  what  I  think,  I'm  afeard  you  are  a  little 
too  near  as  it  is."  Deerslayer  went  on,  in  his  own  steady, 
earnest  manner,  for  the  darkness  concealed  the  tints  that 
colored  the  cheeks  of  the  girl  almost  to  the  brightness 
of  crimson,  while  her  own  great  efforts  suppressed  the 
sounds  of  the  breathing  that  nearly  choked  her.  "As  for 
farms,  they  have  their  uses,  and  there's  them  that  like  to 
pass  their  lives  on  'em;  but  what  comfort  can  a  man  look 
for  in  aclearin',  that  he  can't  find  in  double  quantities 
in  the  forest?  If  air,  and  room,  and  light,  are  a  little 
craved,  the  windows  and  the  streams  will  furnish  'em,  or 
here  are  the  lakes  for  such  as  have  bigger  longings  in 


264  THE   DEERSLAYER 

that  way;  but  where  are  you  to  find  your  shades,  and 
laughing  springs,  and  leaping  brooks,  and  vinerable  trees, 
a  thousand  years  old,  in  a  clearin'?  You  don't  find  them, 
but  you  find  their  disabled  trunks,  marking  the  'arth  like 
headstones  in  a  graveyard.  It  seems  to  me  that  the 
people  who  live  in  such  places  must  be  always  thinkin'  of 
their  own  inds,  and  of  universal  decay;  and  that,  too,  not 
of  the  decay  that  is  brought  about  by  time  and  natur', 
but  the  decay  that  follows  waste  and  violence.  Then  as 
to  churches,  they  are  good,  I  suppose,  else  wouldn't  good 
men  uphold  'em.  But  they  are  not  altogether  necessary. 
They  call  'em  the  temples  of  the  Lord;  but,  Judith,  the 
whole  'arth  is  a  temple  of  the  Lord  to  such  as  have  the 
right  mind.  Neither  forts  nor  churches  make  people 
happier  of  themselves.  Moreover,  all  is  contradiction  in 
the  settlements,  while  all  is  concord  in  the  woods.  Forts 
and  churches  almost  always  go  together,  and  yet  they're 
downright  contradictions;  churches  being  for  peace,  and 
forts  for  war.  No,  no — give  me  the  strong  places  of  the 
wilderness,  which  is  the  trees,  and  the  churches,  too, 
which  are  arbors  raised  by  the  hand  of  natur'." 

"Woman  is  not  made  for  scenes  like  these,  Deerslayer, 
scenes  of  which  we  shall  have  no  end,  as  long  as  this  war 
lasts." 

"If  you  mean  women  of  white  color,  I  rather  think 
you're  not  far  from  the  truth,  gal;  but  as  for  the  females 
of  the  red  men,  such  visitations  are  quite  in  character. 
Nothing  would  make  Hist,  now,  the  bargained  wife  of 
yonder  Delaware,  happier  than  to  know  that  he  is  at  this 
moment  prowling  around  his  nat'ral  inimies,  striving 
after  a  scalp. ' ' 

"Surely,  surely,  Deerslayer,  she  cannot  be  a  woman, 
and  not  feel  concern  when  she  thinks  the  man  she  loves  is 
in  danger!" 

"She  doesn't  think  of  the  danger,  Judith,  but  of  the 
honor ;  and  when  the  heart  is  desperately  set  on  such  f  eel- 
in's,  why  there  is  little  room  to  crowd  in  fear.  Hist  is  a 
kind,  gentle,  laughing,  pleasant  creatur',  but  she  loves 
honor,  as  well  as  any  Delaware  gal  I  ever  know'd.  She's 
to  meet  the  Sarpent  an  hour  hence,  on  the  pi'nt  where 
Hetty  landed,  and  no  doubt  she  has  her  anxiety  about  it, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  265 

like  any  other  woman;  but  she'd  be  all  the  happier  did 
she  know  that  her  lover  was  at  this  moment  waylaying  a 
Mingo  for  his  scalp." 

"If  you  really  believe  this,  Deerslayer,  no  wonder 
you  lay  so  much  stress  on  gifts.  Certain  am  I,  that  no 
white  girl  could  feel  anything  but  misery  while  she  be 
lieved  her  betrothed  in  danger  of  his  life!  Nor  do  I 
suppose  even  you,  unmoved,  and  calm  as  you  ever  seem 
to  be,  could  be  at  peace  if  you  believed  your  Hist  in 
danger. ' ' 

"That's  a  different  matter — 'tis  altogether  a  different 
matter,  Judith.  Woman  is  too  weak  and  gentle  to  be 
intended  to  run  such  risks,  and  man  must  feel  for  her. 
Yes,  I  rather  think  that's  as  much  red  natur'  as  it'o 
white.  But  I  have  no  Hist,  nor  am  I  like  to  have;  for  I 
old  it  wrong  to  mix  colors,  any  way  except  in  friendship 
and  sar vices." 

"In  that  you  are  and  feel  as  a  white  man  should!  As 
for  Hurry  Harry,  I  do  think  it  would  be  all  the  same  to 
him  whether  his  wife  were  a  squaw  or  a  governor's 
daughter,  provided  she  was  a  little  comely,  and  could 
help  to  keep  his  craving  stomach  full." 

"You  do  March  injustice,  Judith;  yes,  you  do.  The 
poor  fellow  dotes  on  you,  and  when  a  man  has  ra'ally  set 
his  heart  on  such  a  creatur'  it  isn't  a  Mingo,  or  even  a 
Delaware  gal,  that'll  be  likely  to  unsettle  his  mind.  You 
may  laugh  at  such  men  as  Hurry  and  I,  for  we're  rough 
and  unteached  in  the  way  of  books  and  other  knowledge; 
but  we've  our  good  p'ints,  as  well  as  our  bad  ones.  An 
honest  heart  is  not  to  be  despised,  gal,  even  though  it  be 
not  varsed  in  all  the  niceties  that  please  the  female 
fancy. ' ' 

"You,  Deerslayer!  And  do  you — can  you,  for  an  in 
stant,  suppose  I  place  you  by  the  side  of  Harry  March? 
No,  no.  I  am  not  so  far  gone  in  dullness  as  that.  No  one 
— man  or  woman — could  think  of  naming  your  honest 
heart,  manly  nature,  and  simple  truth,  with  the  boisterous 
selfishness,  greedy  avarice,  and  overbearing  ferocity  of 
Henry  March.  The  very  best  that  can  be  said  of  him  is 
to  be  found  in  the  name  of  Hurry  Skurry,  which,  if  it 
means  no  great  harm,  means  no  great  good.  Even  my 


266  THE   DEERSLAYER 

father,  following  his  feelings  with  the  other,  as  he  is 
doing  at  this  moment,  well  knows  the  difference  between 
you.  This  I  know,  for  he  has  said  as  much  to  me,  in 
plain  language. ' ' 

Judith  was  a  girl  of  quick  sensibilities  and  of  impetu 
ous  feelings;  and,  being  under  few  of  the  restraints  that 
curtail  the  manifestations  of  maiden  emotions  among 
those  who  are  educated  in  the  habits  of  civilized  life,  she 
sometimes  betrayed  the  latter  with  a  feeling  that  was  so 
purely  natural  as  to  place  it  as  far  above  the  wiles  of 
coquetry  as  it  was  superior  to  its  heartlessness.  She  had 
now  even  taken  one  of  the  hard  hands  of  the  hunter  and 
pressed  it  between  both  her  own,  with  a  warmth  and 
earnestness  that  proved  how  sincere  was  her  language.  It 
was  perhaps  fortunate  that  she  was  checked  by  the  very 
excess  of  her  feelings,  since  the  same  power  might  have 
urged  her  on  to  avow  all  that  her  father  had  said — the 
old  man  not  having  been  satisfied  with  making  a  compar 
ison  favorable  to  Deerslayer,  as  between  the  hunter  and 
Hurry,  but  having  actually,  in  his  blunt  rough  way, 
briefly  advised  his  daughter  to  cast  off  the  latter  entirely, 
and  to  think  of  the  former  as  a  husband.  Judith  would 
not  willingly  have  said  this  to  any  other  man,  but  there 
was  so  much  confidence  awakened  by  the  guileless  sim 
plicity  of  Deerslayer,  that  one  of  her  nature  found  it  a 
constant  temptation  to  overstep  the  bounds  of  habit. 
She  went  no  further,  however,  immediately  relinquish 
ing  the  hand,  and  falling  back  on  a  reserve  that  was 
more  suited  to  her  sex,  and,  indeed,  to  her  natural 
modesty. 

"Thank'ee,  Judith,  thank'ee  with  all  my  heart,"  re 
turned  the  hunter,  whose  humility  prevented  him  from 
placing  any  flattering  interpretation  on  either  the  conduct 
or  the  language  of  the  girl.  "Thank'ee  as  much  as  if  it 
was  all  true.  Harry's  sightly — yes,  he's  as  sightly  as  the 
tallest  pine  of  these  mountains,  and  the  Sarpent  has  named 
him  accordingly;  hows'ever,  some  fancy  good  looks,  and 
some  fancy  good  conduct,  only.  Hurry  has  one  advantage, 
and  it  depends  on  himself  whether  he'll  have  t'other  or — 
Hark!  that's  your  father's  voice,  gal,  and  he  speaks  like 
a  man  who's  riled  at  something." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  267 

"God  save  us  from  any  more  of  these  horrible  scenes!" 
exclaimed  Judith,  bending  her  face  to  her  knees,  and  en 
deavoring  to  exclude  the  discordant  sounds,  by  applying 
her  hands  to  her  ears.  "I  sometimes  wish  I  had  no 
father!" 

This  was  bitterly  said,  and  the  repinings  which  extorted 
the  words  were  bitterly  felt.  It  is  impossible  to  say  what 
might  next  have  escaped  her  had  not  a  gentle,  low  voice 
spoken  at  her  elbow. 

"Judith,  I  ought  to  have  read  a  chapter  to  father  and 
Hurry!"  said  the  innocent  but  terrified  speaker,  "and 
that  would  have  kept  them  from  going  again  on  such  an 
errand.  Do  you  call  to  them,  Deerslayer,  and  tell  them 
I  want  them,  and  that  it  will  be  good  for  them  both  if 
they'll  return  and  hearken  to  my  words." 

"Ah's  me!  poor  Hetty,  you  little  know  the  cravin's  for 
gold  and  revenge,  if  you  believe  they  are  easily  turned 
aside  from  their  longin's!  But  this  is  an  uncommon  bus 
iness  in  more  ways  than  one,  Judith!  I  hear  your  father 
and  Hurry  growling  like  bears,  and  yet  no  noise  comes 
from  the  mouth  of  the  young  chief.  There's  an  ind  of 
secrecy,  and  yet  his  whoop,  which  ought  to  ring  in  the 
mountains,  accordin'  to  rule  in  such  sarcumstances,  is 
silent!" 

"Justice  may  have  alighted  on  him,  and  his  death  have 
saved  the  lives  of  the  innocent." 

"Not  it — not  it — the  Sarpent  is  not  the  one  to  suffer  if 
that's  to  be  the  law.  Sartinly  there  has  been  no  onset, 
and  'tis  most  likely  that  the  camp's  deserted,  and  the 
men  are  coming  back  disapp'inted.  That  accounts  for  the 
growls  of  Hurry  and  the  silence  of  the  Sarpent." 

Just  at  this  instant  a  fall  of  a  paddle  was  heard  in  the 
canoe,  for  vexation  made  March  reckless.  Deerslayer  felt 
convinced  that  his  conjecture  was  true.  The  sail  being 
down,  the  ark  had  not  drifted  far;  and  ere  many  minutes 
he  heard  Chingachgook,  in  a  low,  quiet  tone,  directing 
Hutter  how  to  steer  in  order  to  reach  it.  In  less  time 
than  it  takes  to  tell  the  fact,  the  canoe  touched  the  scow, 
and  the  adventurers  entered  the  latter.  Neither  Hutter 
nor  Hurry  spoke  of  what  had  occurred.  But  the  Dela 
ware,  in  passing  his  friend,  merely  uttered  the  words 


268  THE  DEERSLAYER 

"fire's  out,"  which,  if  not  literally  true,  sufficiently 
explained  the  truth  to  his  listener. 

It  was  now  a  question  as  to  the  course  to  be  steered.  A 
short,  surly  conference  was  held,  when  Hutter  decided 
that  the  wisest  way  would  be  to  keep  in  motion  as  the 
means  most  likely  to  defeat  any  attempt  at  a  surprise — 
announcing  his  own  and  March's  intention  to  requite 
themselves  for  the  loss  of  sleep  during  their  captivity,  by 
lying  down.  As  the  air  still  baffled  and  continued  light, 
it  was  finally  determined  to  sail  before  it,  let  it  come  in 
what  direction  it  might,  so  long  as  it  did  not  blow  the 
ark  upon  the  strand.  This  point  settled,  the  released 
prisoners  helped  to  hoist  the  sail,  and  they  threw  them 
selves  on  two  of  the  pallets,  leaving  Deerslayer  and  his 
friend  to  look  after  the  movements  of  the  craft.  As 
neither  of  the  latter  was  disposed  to  sleep,  on  account  of 
the  appointment  with  Hist,  this  arrangement  was  accept 
able  to  all  parties.  That  Judith  and  Hetty  remained  up 
also,  in  no  manner  impaired  the  agreeable  features  of 
this  change. 

For  some  time  the  scow  rather  drifted  than  sailed 
along  the  western  shore,  following  a  light  southerly  cur 
rent  of  the  air.  The  progress  was  slow — not  exceeding  a 
couple  of  miles  in  the  hour — but  the  two  men  perceived 
that  it  was  not  only  carrying  them  towards  the  point  they 
desired  to  reach,  but  at  a  rate  that  was  quite  as  fast  as 
the  hour  yet  rendered  necessary.  But  little  was  said  the 
while  even  by  the  girls;  and  that  little  had  more  refer 
ence  to  the  rescue  of  Hist  than  to  any  other  subject.  The 
Indian  was  calm  to  the  eye,  but  as  minute  after  minute 
passed  his  feelings  became  more  and  more  excited,  until 
they  reached  a  state  that  might  have  satisfied  the  demands 
of  even  the  most  exacting  mistress.  Deerslayer  kept  the 
craft  as  much  in  the  bays  as  was  prudent,  for  the  double 
purpose  of  sailing  within  the  shadows  of  the  woods,  and 
of  detecting  any  signs  of  an  encampment  they  might  pass 
on  the  shore.  In  this  manner  they  doubled  one  low  point, 
and  were  already  in  the  bay  that  was  terminated  north 
by  the  goal  at  which  they  aimed.  The  latter  was  still 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant,  when  Chingachgook  came 
silently  to  the  side  of  his  friend  and  pointed  to  a  place 


THE   DEERSLAYER  269 

directly  ahead.  A  small  fire  was  glimmering  just  within 
the  verge  of  the  bushes  that  lined  the  shore  on  the  south 
ern  side  of  the  point — leaving  no  doubt  that  the  Indians 
had  suddenly  removed  their  camp  to  the  very  place,  or  at 
least  the  very  projection  of  land  where  Hist  had  given 
them  the  rendezvous! 


CHAPTER  XVI 

"  I  hear  thee  babbling  to  the  vale 
Of  sunshine  and  of  flowers, 
But  unto  me  thou  bring'st  a  tale 
Of  visionary  hours." 

—WORDSWORTH. 

THE  discovery  mentioned  at  the  close  of  the  preceding 
chapter  was  of  great  moment  in  the  eyes  of  Deerslayer 
and  his  friend.  In  the  first  place,  there  was  the  danger, 
almost  the  certainty,  that  Hutter  and  Hurry  would  make 
a  fresh  attempt  on  this  camp  should  they  awake  and  as 
certain  its  position.  Then  there  was  the  increased  risk 
of  landing  to  bring  off  Hist;  and  there  were  the  general 
uncertainty  and  additional  hazards  that  must  follow  from 
the  circumstance  that  their  enemies  had  begun  to  change 
their  positions.  As  the  Delaware  was  aware  that  the 
hour  was  near  when  he  ought  to  repair  to  the  rendezvous, 
he  no  longer  thought  of  trophies  torn  from  his  foes;  and 
one  of  the  first  things  arranged  between  him  and  his 
associate  was  to  permit  the  two  others  to  sleep  on,  lest 
they  should  disturb  the  execution  of  their  plans  by  sub 
stituting  some  of  their  own.  The  ark  moved  slowly,  and 
it  would  have  taken  fully  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to  reach 
the  point,  at  the  rate  at  which  they  were  going;  thus 
affording  time  for  a  little  forethought.  The  Indians,  in 
the  wish  to  conceal  their  fire  from  those  who  were  thought 
to  be  still  in  the  castle,  had  placed  it  so  near  the  southern 
side  of  the  point  as  to  render  it  extremely  difficult  to 
shut  it  in  by  the  bushes,  though  Deerslayer  varied  the 
direction  of  the  scow,  both  to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  in 
the  hope  of  being  able  to  effect  that  object. 

"There's  one  advantage,  Judith,  in  finding  that  fire  so 
near  the  water,"  he  said,  while  executing  these  little 
maneuvers;  "since  it  shows  the  Mingoes  believe  we  are 
in  the  hut,  and  our  coming  on  'em  from  this  quarter  will 
be  an  onlooked-for  event.  But  'tis  lucky  Harry  March 

270 


THE   DEERSLAYER  271 

and  your  father  are  asleep,  else  we  should  have  'em 
prowling  after  scalps  ag'in.  Ha!  there — the  bushes  are 
beginning  to  shut  in  the  fire — and  now  it  can't  be  seen  at 
all!" 

Deerslayer  waited  a  little  to  make  certain  that  he  had 
at  last  gained  the  desired  position,  when  he  gave  the 
signal  agreed  on,  and  Chingachgook  let  go  the  grapnel 
and  lowered  the  sail. 

The  situation  in  which  the  ark  now  lay  had  its  advan 
tages  and  its  disadvantages.  The  fire  had  been  hid  by 
sheering  towards  the  shore,  and  the  latter  was  nearer 
perhaps  than  was  desirable.  Still,  the  water  was  known 
to  be  very  deep  further  off  in  the  lake,  and  anchoring  in 
deep  water,  under  the  circumstances  in  which  the  party 
was  placed,  was  to  be  avoided,  if  possible.  It  was  also 
believed  no  raft  could  be  within  miles;  and,  though  the 
trees  in  the  darkness  appeared  almost  to  overhang  the 
scow,  it  would  not  be  easy  to  get  off  to  her  without  using 
a  boat.  The  intense  darkness  that  prevailed  so  close  in 
with  the  forest,  too,  served  as  an  effectual  screen;  and  so 
long  as  care  was  had  not  to  make  a  noise,  there  was  little  or 
no  danger  of  being  detected.  All  these  things  Deerslayer 
pointed  out  to  Judith,  instructing  her  as  to  the  course  she 
was  to  follow  in  the  event  of  an  alarm;  for  it  was  thought 
to  the  last  degree  inexpedient  to  arouse  the  sleepers, 
unless  it  might  be  in  the  greatest  emergency. 

"And  now,  Judith,  as  we  understand  one  another,  it  is 
time  the  Sarpent  and  I  had  taken  to  the  canoe,"  the 
hunter  concluded.  "The  star  has  not  risen  yet,  it's 
true,  but  it  soon  must;  though  none  of  us  are  likely  to 
be  any  the  wiser  for  it  to-night,  on  account  of  the  clouds. 
Hows 'ever,  Hist  has  a  ready  mind,  and  she's  one  of  them 
that  doesn't  always  need  to  have  a  thing  afore  her  to  see 
it.  I'll  warrant  you  she'll  not  be  either  two  minutes  or 
two  feet  out  of  the  way,  unless  them  jealous  vagabonds, 
the  Mingoes,  have  taken  the  alarm  and  put  her  as  a  stool- 
pigeon  to  catch  us;  or  have  hid  her  away,  in  order  to 
prepare  her  mind  for  a  Huron  instead  of  a  Mohican  hus 
band." 

"Deerslayer,"  interrupted  the  girl,  earnestly;  "this  is 
a  most  dangerous  service;  why  do  you  go  on  it  at  all?" 


272  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Anan!  Why  you  know,  gal,  we  go  to  bring  off  Hist, 
the  Sarpent's  betrothed — the  maid  he  means  to  marry,  as 
soon  as  we  get  back  to  the  tribe. ' ' 

"That  is  all  right  for  the  Indian — but  you  do  not  mean 
to  marry  Hist — you  are  not  betrothed,  and  why  should 
two  risk  their  lives  and  liberties,  to  do  that  which  one 
can  just  as  well  perform?" 

"Ah! — now  I  understand  you,  Judith — yes,  now  I  begin 
to  take  the  idee.  You  think  as  Hist  is  the  Sarpent's  be 
trothed,  as  they  call  it,  and  not  mine,  it's  altogether  his 
affair;  and  as  one  man  can  paddle  a  canoe,  he  ought  to  be 
left  to  go  after  his  gal  alone!  But  you  forget  this  is  our 
arr'nd  here,  on  the  lake,  and  it  would  not  tell  well  to 
forget  an  arr'nd  just  at  the  pinch.  Then,  if  love  does 
count  for  so  much  with  some  people,  particularly  with 
young  women,  fri'ndship  counts  for  something,  too,  with 
other  some.  I  dare  to  say,  the  Delaware  can  paddle  a 
canoe  by  himself,  and  can  bring  off  Hist  by  himself,  and 
perhaps  he  would  like  that  quite  as  well  as  to  have  me 
with  him;  but  he  couldn't  sarcumvent  sarcumventions,  or 
stir  up  an  ambushment,  or  fight  with  the  savages,  and 
get  his  sweetheart  at  the  same  time,  as  well  by  himself  as 
if  he  had  a  fri'nd  with  him,  to  depend  on,  even  if  that 
fri'nd  is  no  better  than  myself.  No — no — Judith,  you 
wouldn't  desart  one  that  counted  on  you,  at  such  a  mo 
ment,  and  you  can't,  in  reason,  expect  me  to  do  it." 

"I  fear — I  believe  you  are  right,  Deerslayer;  yet  I  wish 
you  were  not  to  go!  Promise  me  one  thing,  at  least,  and 
that  is,  not  to  trust  yourself  among  the  savages,  or  to  do 
anything  more  than  to  save  the  girl.  That  will  be  enough 
for  once,  and  with  that  you  ought  to  be  satisfied." 

"Lord  bless  you!  gal;  one  would  think  it  was  Hetty 
that's  talking,  and  not  the  quick-witted  and  wonderful 
Judith  Hutter!  But  fright  makes  the  wise  silly,  and  the 
strong  weak.  Yes,  I've  seen  proofs  of  that,  time  and 
ag'in!  Well,  it's  kind  and  soft-hearted  in  you,  Judith, 
to  feel  this  consarn  for  a  fellow  creatur',  and  I  shall 
always  say  that  you  are  kind  and  of  true  feelin's,  let 
them  that  invy  your  good  looks  tell  as  many  idle  stories 
of  you  as  they  may. " 

"Deerslayer!"  hastily  said  the  girl,  interrupting  him, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  273 

though  nearly  choked  by  her  emotions,  "do  you  believe 
all  you  hear  about  a  poor  motherless  girl?  Is  the  foul 
tongue  of  Hurry  Harry  to  blast  my  life?" 

"Not  it,  Judith — not  it.  I've  told  Hurry  it  wasn't 
manful  to  backbite  them  he  couldn't  win  by  fair  means; 
and  that  even  an  Indian  is  always  tender,  touching  a 
young  woman's  good  name." 

"If  I  had  a  brother,  he  wouldn't  dare  to  do  it!"  ex 
claimed  Judith,  her  eyes  flashing  fire.  "But,  finding  me 
without  any  protector  but  an  old  man,  whose  ears  are 
getting  to  be  as  dull  as  his  feelings,  he  has  his  way  as  he 
pleases. ' ' 

"Not  exactly  that,  Judith;  no,  not  exactly  that,  neither! 
No  man,  brother  or  stranger,  would  stand  by  and  see  as 
fair  a  gal  as  yourself  hunted  down,  without  saying  a  word 
in  her  behalf.  Hurry's  in  'arnest  in  wanting  to  make  you 
his  wife,  and  the  little  he  does  let  out  ag'in  you,  comes 
more  from  jealousy,  like,  than  from  anything  else.  Smile 
on  him  when  he  'awakes,  and  squeeze  his  hand  only  half 
as  hard  as  you  squeezed  mine  a  bit  ago,  and  my  life  on  it 
the  poor  fellow  will  forget  everything  but  your  comeli 
ness.  Hot  words  don't  always  come  from  the  heart,  but 
oftener  from  the  stomach,  than  anywhere  else.  Try  him, 
Judith,  when  he  wakes,  and  see  the  vartue  of  a  smile." 

Deerslayer  laughed,  in  his  own  manner,  as  he  concluded, 
and  then  he  intimated  to  the  patient-looking,  but  really 
impatient  Chingachgook,  his  readiness  to  proceed.  As 
the  young  man  entered  the  canoe,  the  girl  stood  immov 
able  as  stone,  lost  in  the  musings  that  the  language  and 
manner  of  the  other  were  likely  to  produce.  The  simplic 
ity  of  the  hunter  had  completely  put  her  at  fault;  for,  in 
her  narrow  sphere,  Judith  was  an  expert  manager  of  the 
other  sex;  though  in  the  present  instance  she  was  far 
more  actuated  by  impulses,  in  all  she  had  said  and  done, 
than  by  calculation.  We  shall  not  deny  that  some  of 
Judith's  reflections  were  bitter,  though  the  sequel  of  the 
tale  must  be  referred  to,  in  order  to  explain  how  merited 
or  how  keen  were  her  sufferings. 

Chingachgook  and  his  pale-face  friend  set  forth  on  their 
hazardous  and  delicate  enterprise  with  a  coolness  and 
method  that  would  have  done  credit  to  men  who  were  on 
18 


274  THE   DEERSLAYER 

their  twentieth  instead  of  being  on  their  first  war-path. 
As  suited  his  relation  to  the  pretty  fugitive  in  whose  serv 
ice  they  were  engaged,  the  Indian  took  his  place  in  the 
head  of  the  canoe,  while  Deerslayer  guided  its  movements 
in  the  stern.  By  this  arrangement,  the  former  would  be 
the  first  to  land,  and  of  course  the  first  to  meet  his  mis 
tress.  The  latter  had  taken  his  post  without  comment, 
but  in  secret  influenced  by  the  reflection  that  one  who  had 
so  much  at  stake  as  the  Indian,  might  not  possibly  guide 
the  canoe  with  the  same  steadiness  and  intelligence  as 
another  who  had  more  command  of  his  feelings.  From 
the  instant  they  left  the  side  of  the  ark,  the  movements  of 
the  two  adventurers  were  like  the  maneuvers  of  highly 
drilled  soldiers,  who  for  the  first  time  were  called  on  to 
meet  the  enemy  in  the  field.  As  yet,  Chingachgook  had 
never  fired  a  shot  in  anger,  and  the  debut  of  his  compan 
ion  in  warfare  is  known  to  the  reader.  It  is  true,  the 
Indian  had  been  hanging  about  his  enemy's  camp  for  a 
few  hours,  on  his  first  arrival,  and  he  had  even  once 
entered  it,  as  related  in  the  last  chapter,  but  no  conse 
quences  had  followed  either  experiment.  Now,  it  was 
certain  that  an  important  result  was  to  be  effected,  or  a 
mortifying  failure  was  to  ensue.  The  rescue,  or  the  con 
tinued  captivity  of  Hist,  depended  on  the  enterprise.  In 
a  word,  it  was  virtually  the  maiden  expedition  of  these 
two  ambitious  young  forest  soldiers;  and  while  one  of 
them  set  forth,  impelled  by  sentiments  that  usually  carry 
men  so  far,  both  had  all  their  feelings  of  pride  and  man 
hood  enlisted  in  their  success. 

Instead  of  steering  in  a  direct  line  to  the  point,  then 
distant  from  the  ark  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  Deer- 
slayer  laid  the  head  of  his  canoe  diagonally  towards  the 
center  of  the  lake,  with  a  view  to  obtain  a  position  from 
which  he  might  approach  the  shore,  having  his  enemies 
in  his  front  only.  The  spot  where  Hetty  had  landed,  and 
where  Hist  had  promised  to  meet  them,  moreover,  was 
on  the  upper  side  of  the  projection,  rather  than  on  the 
lower;  and  to  reach  it,  would  have  required  the  adven 
turers  to  double  nearly  the  whole  point,  close  in  with  the 
shore,  had  not  this  preliminary  step  been  taken.  So  well 
was  the  necessity  for  this  measure  understood,  that  Chin- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  275 

f 

gachgook  quietly  paddled  on,  although  it  was  adopted 
without  consulting  him,  and  apparently  was  taking  him 
in  a  direction  nearly  opposite  to  that  one  might  think  he 
most  wished  to  go.  A  few  minutes  sufficed,  however,  to 
carry  the  canoe  the  necessary  distance,  when  both  the 
young  men  ceased  paddling,  as  it  were  by  instinctive 
consent,  and  the  boat  became  stationary. 

The  darkness  increased  rather  than  diminished,  but  it 
was  still  possible,  from  the  place  where  the  adventurers 
lay,  to  distinguish  the  outlines  of  mountains.  In  vain  did 
the  Delaware  turn  his  head  eastward,  to  catch  a  glimpse 
of  the  promised  star;  for,  notwithstanding  the  clouds 
broke  a  little  near  the  horizon  in  that  quarter  of  the 
heavens,  the  curtain  continued  so  far  drawn  as  effectually 
to  conceal  all  behind  it.  In  front,  as  was  known  by  the 
formation  of  land  above  and  behind  it,  lay  the  point,  at  a 
distance  of  about  a  thousand  feet.  No  signs  of  the  castle 
could  be  seen,  nor  could  any  movement  into  that  quarter 
of  the  lake  reach  the  ear.  The  latter  circumstance  might 
have  been  equally  owing  to  the  distance,  which  was  sev 
eral  miles,  or  to  the  fact  that  nothing  was  in  motion.  As 
for  the  ark,  though  scarcely  further  from  the  canoe  than 
the  point,  it  lay  so  completely  buried  in  the  shadows  of 
the  shore  that  it  would  not  have  been  visible  even  had 
there  been  many  degrees  more  of  light  than  actually 
existed. 

The  adventurers  now  held  a  conference  in  low  voices, 
consulting  together  as  to  the  probable  time.  Deerslayer 
thought  it  wanted  yet  some  minutes  to  the  rising  of  the 
star,  while  the  impatience  of  the  chief  caused  him  to 
fancy  the  night  further  advanced,  and  to  believe  that  his 
betrothed  was  already  waiting  his  appearance  on  the 
shore.  As  might  have  been  expected,  the  opinion  of  the 
latter  prevailed,  and  his  friend  disposed  himself  to  steer 
for  the  place  of  rendezvous.  The  utmost  skill  and  precau 
tion  now  became  necessary  in  the  management  of  the 
canoe.  The  paddles  were  lifted  and  returned  to  the 
water  in  a  noiseless  manner;  and  when  within  a  hundred 
yards  of  the  beach,  Chinsrachgook  took  in  his  altogether, 
laying  his  hand  on  his  rifle  in  its  stead.  As  they  got  still 
more  within  the  belt  of  darkness  that  girded  the  woods, 


276  THE   DEERSLAYER 

it  was  seen  that  they  were  steering  too  far  north,  and  th 
course  was  altered  accordingly.  The  canoe  now  seemed  t 
move  by  instinct,  so  cautious  and  deliberate  were  all  il 
motions.  Still  it  continued  to  advance,  until  its  bow 
grated  on  the  gravel  of  the  beach,  at  the  precise  spc 
where  Hetty  had  landed,  and  whence  her  voice  had  issue 
the  previous  night  as  the  ark  was  passing.  There  was,  £ 
usual,  a  narrow  strand,  but  bushes  fringed  the  woods 
and  in  most  places  overhung  the  water. 

Chingachgook  stepped  upon  the  beach,  and  cautiousl 
examined  it,  for  some  distance,  on  each  side  of  the  canoe 
In  order  to  do  this,  he  was  often  obliged  to  wade  to  hi 
knees  in  the  lake.  No  Hist  rewarded  his  search.  Whe 
he  returned,  he  found  his  friend  also  on  the  shore.  The 
next  conferred  in  whispers,  the  Indian  apprehending  ths 
they  must  have  mistaken  the  place  of  rendezvous.  Deei 
slayer  thought  it  was  probable  they  had  mistaken  th 
hour.  While  he  was  yet  speaking,  he  grasped  the  arm  c 
the  Delaware,  caused  him  to  turn  his  head  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  lake,  and  pointed  towards  the  summits  of  th 
eastern  mountains.  The  clouds  had  broken  a  little,  aj 
parently  behind  rather  than  above  the  hills,  and  th 
selected  star  was  glittering  among  the  branches  of 
pine.  This  was  every  way  a  flattering  omen,  and  th 
young  men  leaned  on  their  rifles,  listening  intently  fc 
the  sound  of  approaching  footsteps.  Voices  they  ofte 
heard,  and  mingled  with  them  were  the  suppressed  crie 
of  children,  and  the  low  but  sweet  laugh  of  India 
women.  As  the  native  Americans  are  habitually  cautious 
and  seldom  break  out  in  loud  conversation,  the  adver 
turers  knew  by  these  facts  that  they  must  be  very  nea 
the  encampment.  It  was  easy  to  perceive  that  there  ws 
a  fire  within  the  woods,  by  the  manner  in  which  some  c 
the  upper  branches  of  the  trees  were  illuminated,  but  i 
wras  not  possible,  where  they  stood,  to  ascertain  exactl 
how  near  it  was  to  themselves.  Once  or  twice  it  seeme 
as  if  stragglers  from  around  the  fire  were  approachin 
the  place  of  rendezvous;  but  these  sounds  were  eithe 
altogether  illusion,  or  those  who  had  drawn  near  returne 
again  without  coming  to  the  shore.  A  quarter  of  an  hou 
was  passed  in  this  state  of  intense  expectation  and  anxi 


THE   DEERSLAYER  277 

4 

ety,  when  Deerslayer  proposed  that  they  should  circle  the 
point  in  the  canoe;  and  by  getting  a  position  close  in, 
where  the  camp  could  be  seen,  reconnoiter  the  Indians, 
and  thus  enable  themselves  to  form  some  plausible  conjec 
tures  for  the  non-appearance  of  Hist.  The  Delaware, 
however,  resolutely  refused  to  quit  the  spot,  plausibly 
enough  offering  as  a  reason,  the  disappointment  of  the 
girl,  should  she  arrive  in  his  absence.  Deerslayer  felt  for 
his  friend's  concern,  and  offered  to  make  the  circuit  of 
the  point  by  himself,  leaving  the  latter  concealed  in  the 
bushes  to  await  the  occurrence  of  any  fortunate  event 
that  might  favor  his  views.  With  this  understanding, 
then,  the  parties  separated. 

As  soon  as  Deerslayer  was  at  his  post  again,  in  the 
stern  of  the  canoe,  he  left  the  shore  with  the  same  pre 
cautions,  and  in  the  same  noiseless  manner  as  he  ap 
proached  it.  On  this  occasion  he  did  not  go  far  from  the 
land,  the  bushes  affording  a  sufficient  cover,  by  keeping 
as  close  in  as  possible.  Indeed,  it  would  not  have  been 
easy  to  devise  any  means  more  favorable  to  reconnoiter- 
ing  round  an  Indian  camp,  than  those  afforded  by  the 
actual  state  of  things.  The  formation  of  the  point  per 
mitted  the  place  to  be  circled  on  three  of  its  sides,  and 
the  progress  of  the  boat  was  so  noiseless  as  to  remove  any 
apprehensions  from  an  alarm  through  sound.  The  most 
practised  and  guarded  foot  might  stir  a  bunch  of  leaves 
or  snap  a  dried  stick  in  the  dark,  but  a  bark  canoe  could 
be  made  to  float  over  the  surface  of  smooth  water,  almost 
with  the  instinctive  readiness,  and  certainly  with  the 
noiseless  movements,  of  an  aquatic  bird. 

Deerslayer  had  got  nearly  in  a  line  between  the  camp 
and  the  ark,  before  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  fire,  lliis 
came  upon  him  suddenly,  and  a  little  unexpectedly,  at 
first  causing  an  alarm,  lest  he  had  incautiously  ventured 
within  the  circle  of  light  it  cast.  But,  perceiving  at  a 
second  glance  that  he  was  certainly  safe  from  detection, 
so  long  as  the  Indians  kept  near  the  center  of  the  illumin 
ation,  he  brought  the  canoe  to  a  state  of  rest,  in  the  most 
favorable  position  he  could  find,  and  commenced  his  ob 
servations. 

We  have  written  much,  but  in  vain,  concerning  this 


278  THE   DEERSLAYER 

extraordinary  being,  if  the  reader  requires  now  to  be 
told,  that,  untutored  as  he  was  in  the  learning  of  the 
world,  and  simple  as  he  ever  showed  himself  to  be  in  all 
matters  touching  the  subtleties  of  conventional  taste,  he 
was  a  man  of  strong,  native,  poetical  feeling.  He  loved 
the  woods  for  their  freshness,  their  sublime  solitudes, 
their  vastness,  and  the  impress  that  they  everywhere  bore 
of  the  divine  hand  of  their  Creator.  He  rarely  moved 
through  them  without  pausing  to  dwell  on  some  peculiar 
beauty  that  gave  him  pleasure,  though  seldom  attempting 
to  investigate  the  causes ;  and  never  did  a  day  pass  with 
out  his  communing  in  spirit,  and  this,  too,  without  the 
aid  of  forms  or  language,  with  the  infinite  Source  of  all 
he  saw,  felt,  and  beheld.  Thus  constituted  in  a  moral 
sense,  and  of  a  steadiness  that  no  danger  could  appall  or 
any  crisis  disturb,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  hunter 
felt  a  pleasure  at  looking  on  the  scene  he  now  beheld, 
that  momentarily  caused  him  to  forget  the  object  of  his 
visit.  This  will  more  fully  appear  when  we  describe  it. 
The  canoe  lay  in  front  of  a  natural  vista,  not  only 
through  the  bushes  that  lined  the  shore,  but  of  the  trees 
also,  that  afforded  a  clear  view  of  the  camp.  It  was  by 
means  of  this  same  opening  that  the  light  had  been  first 
seen  from  the  ark.  In  consequence  of  their  recent  change 
of  ground,  the  Indians  had  not  yet  retired  to  their  huts, 
but  had  been  delayed  by  their  preparations,  which  in 
cluded  lodging  as  well  as  food.  A  large  fire  had  been 
made,  as  much  to  answer  the  purpose  of  torches,  as  for 
the  use  of  their  simple  cookery;  and  at  this  precise 
moment  it  was  blazing  high  and  bright,  having  recently 
received  a  large  supply  of  dried  brush.  The  effect  was  to 
illuminate  the  arches  of  the  forest,  and  to  render  the 
whole  area  occupied  by  the  camp  as  light  as  if  hundreds 
of  tapers  were  burning.  Most  of  the  toil  had  ceased,  and 
even  the  hungriest  child  had  satisfied  its  appetite.  In  a 
word,  the  time  was  that  moment  of  relaxation  and  gen 
eral  indolence  which  is  apt  to  succeed  a  hearty  meal,  and 
when  the  labors  of  the  day  have  ended.  The  hunters  and 
the  fishermen  had  been  equally  successful;  and  food,  that 
one  great  requisite  of  savage  life,  being  abundant,  every 
other  care  appeared  to  have  subsided  in  the  sense  of  enjoy 
ment  dependent  on  this  all-important  fact. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  279 

1 

Deerslayer  saw  at  a  glance  that  many  of  the  warriors 
were  absent.  His  acquaintance,  Rivenoak,  however,  was 
present,  being  seated  in  the  foreground  of  a  picture  that 
Salvator  Rosa  would  have  delighted  to  draw,  his  swarthy 
features  illuminated  as  much  by  pleasure  as  by  the  torch- 
like  flame,  while  he  showed  another  of  the  tribe  one  of 
the  elephants  that  had  caused  so  much  sensation  among 
his  people.  A  boy  was  looking  over  his  shoulder,  in  dull 
curiosity,  completing  the  group.  More  in  the  back 
ground,  eight  or  ten  warriors  lay  half  recumbent  on  the 
ground,  or  sat  with  their  backs  inclining  against  trees,  so 
many  types  of  indolent  repose.  Their  arms  were  near 
them,  sometimes  leaning  against  the  same  trees  as  them 
selves,  or  were  lying  across  their  bodies,  in  careless  prep 
aration.  But  the  group  that  most  attracted  the  attention 
of  Deerslayer  was  that  composed  of  the  women  and  chil 
dren.  All  the  females  appeared  to  be  collected  together, 
and,  almost  as  a  matter  of  course,  their  young  were  near 
them.  The  former  laughed  alid  chatted  in  their  rebuked 
and  quiet  manner,  though  one  who  knew  the  habits  of  the 
people  might  have  detected  that  everything  was  not  going 
on  in  its  usual  train.  Most  of  the  young  women  seemed 
to  be  light-hearted  enough;  but  one  old  hag  was  seated 
apart,  with  a  watchful,  soured  aspect,  which  the  hunter 
at  once  knew  betokened  that  some  duty  of  an  unpleasant 
character  had  been  assigned  her  by  the  chiefs.  What  that 
duty  was  he  had  no  means  of  knowing;  but  he  felt  satis 
fied  it  must  be,  in  some  measure,  connected  with  her  own 
sex,  the  aged  among  the  women  generally  being  chosen  for 
such  offices,  and  no  other. 

As  a  matter  of  course  Deerslayer  looked  eagerly  and 
anxiously  for  the  form  of  Hist.  She  was  nowhere  visible, 
though  the  light  penetrated  to  considerable  distances  in 
all  directions  around  the  fire.  Once  or  twice  he  started, 
as  he  thought  he  recognized  her  laugh;  but  his  ears  were 
deceived  by  the  soft  melody  that  is  so  common  to  the 
Indian  female  voice.  At  length  the  old  woman  spoke  loud 
and  angrily,  and  then  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  one  or  two 
dark  figures,  in  the  background  of  trees,  which  turned  as 
if  obedient  to  the  rebuke,  and  walked  more  within  the 
circle  of  the  light.  A  young  warrior's  form  first  came 


280  THE   DEERSLAYER 

fairly  into  view;  then  followed  two  youthful  females,  one 
of  whom  proved  to  be  the  Delaware  girl.  Deerslayer  now 
comprehended  it  all.  Hist  was  watched,  possibly  by  her 
young  companion,  certainly  by  the  old  woman.  The  youth 
was  probably  some  suitor  of  either  her  or  her  companion; 
but  even  his  discretion  was  disturbed  under  the  influ 
ence  of  admiration.  The  known  vicinity  of  those  who 
might  be  supposed  to  be  her  friends,  and  the  arrival  of  a 
strange  red-man  on  the  lake,  had  induced  more  than  the 
usual  care,  and  the  girl  had  not  been  able  to  slip  away 
from  those  who  watched  her,  in  order  to  keep  her  ap 
pointment.  Deerslayer  traced  her  uneasiness,  by  her 
attempting,  once  or  twice,  to  look  up  through  the  branches 
of  the  trees,  as  if  endeavoring  to  get  glimpses  of  the  star 
she  had  herself  named  as  the  sign  for  meeting.  All  was 
vain,  however,  and  after  strolling  about  the  camp  a  little 
longer,  in  affected  indifference,  the  two  girls  quitted 
their  male  escort,  and  took  seats  among  their  own  sex. 
As  soon  as  this  was  done,  the  old  sentinel  changed  her 
place  to  one  more  agreeble  to  herself,  a  certain  proof  that 
she  had  hitherto  been  exclusively  on  watch. 

Deerslayer  now  felt  greatly  at  a  loss  how  to  proceed. 
He  well  knew  that  Chingachgook  could  never  be  persuaded 
to  return  to  the  ark,  without  making  some  desperate 
effort  for  the  recovery  of  his  mistress,  and  his  own  gen 
erous  feelings  well  disposed  him  to  aid  in  such  an  under 
taking.  He  thought  he  saw  the  signs  of  an  intention 
among  the  females  to  retire  for  the  night;  and  should  he 
remain,  and  the  fire  continue  to  give  out  its  light,  he 
might  discover  the  particular  hut,  or  arbor,  under  which 
Hist  reposed — a  circumstance  that  would  be  of  infinite 
use  in  their  future  proceedings.  Should  he  remain,  how 
ever,  much  longer  where  he  was,  there  was  great  danger 
that  the  impatience  of  his  friend  would  drive  him  into 
some  act  of  imprudence.  At  each  instant,  indeed,  he  ex 
pected  to  see  the  swarthy  form  of  the  Delaware  appearing 
in  the  background,  like  the  tiger  prowling  around  the 
fold.  Taking  all  things  into  consideration,  therefore,  he 
came  to  the  conclusion  it  would  be  better  to  rejoin  his 
friend,  and  endeavor  to  temper  his  impetuosity  by  some 
of  his  own  coolness  and  discretion.  It  required  but  a 


THE   DEERSLAYER  281 

minute  or  two  to  put  this  plan  in  execution,  the  canoe 
returning  to  the  strand  some  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  after 
it  had  left  it. 

Contrary  to  his  expectations,  perhaps,  Deerslayer  found 
the  Indian  at  his  post,  from  which  he  had  not  stirred, 
fearful  that  his  betrothed  might  arrive  during  his  ab 
sence.  A  conference  followed,  in  which  Chingachgook 
was  made  acquainted  with  the  state  of  things  in  the  camp. 
When  Hist  named  the  point  as  the  place  of  meeting,  it 
was  with  the  expectation  of  making  her  escape  from  the 
old  position,  and  of  repairing  to  a  spot  that  she  expected 
to  find  without  any  occupants;  but  the  sudden  change  of 
localities  had  disconcerted  all  her  plans.  A  much  greater 
degree  of  vigilance  than  had  been  previously  required 
was  now  necessary;  and  the  circumstance  that  an  aged 
woman  was  on  watch,  also  denoted  some  special  grounds 
of  alarm.  All  these  considerations,  and  many  more  that 
will  readily  suggest  themselves  to  the  reader,  were  briefly 
discussed,  before  the  young  men  came  to  any  decision. 
The  occasion,  however,  being  one  that  required  acts 
instead  of  words,  the  course  to  be  pursed  was  soon 
chosen. 

Disposing  of  the  canoe  in  such  a  manner  that  Hist 
must  see  it,  should  she  come  to  the  place  of  meeting 
previously  to  their  return,  the  young  men  looked  to  their 
arms,  and  prepared  to  enter  the  wood.  The  whole  projec 
tion  into  the  lake  contained  about  two  acres  of  land;  and 
the  part  that  formed  the  point,  and  on  which  the  camp 
was  placed,  did  not  compose  a  surface  of  more  than  half 
that  size.  It  was  principally  covered  with  oaks,  which, 
as  is  usual  in  the  American  forests,  grew  to  a  great  height 
without  throwing  out  a  branch,  and  then  arched  in  a 
dense  and  rich  foliage.  Beneath,  except  the  fringe  of 
thick  bushes  along  the  shore,  there  was  very  little  under 
brush;  though,  in  consequence  of  their  shape  the  trees 
were  closer  together  than  is  common  in  regions  where  the 
ax  has  been  freely  used,  resembling  tall,  straight,  rustic 
columns,  upholding  the  usual  canopy  of  leaves.  The  sur 
face  of  the  land  was  tolerably  even,  but  it  had  a  small 
rise  near  its  center,  which  divided  it  into  a  northern  and 
southern  half.  On  the  latter  the  Hurons  had  built  their 


282  THE   DEERSLAYER 

fire,  profiting  by  the  formation  to  conceal  it  from  their 
enemies,  who,  it  will  be  remembered,  were  supposed  to  be 
in  the  castle,  which  bore  northerly.  A  brook  also  came 
brawling  down  the  sides  of  the  adjacent  hills,  and  found 
its  way  into  the  lake  on  the  southern  side  of  the  point.  It 
had  cut  for  itself  a  deep  passage  through  some  of  the 
highest  portions  of  the  ground,  and,  in  later  days,  when 
the  spot  has  become  subjected  to  the  uses  of  civilization, 
by  its  windings  and  shaded  banks,  it  has  become  no  mean 
accessory  in  contributing  to  the  beauty  of  the  place.  This 
brook  lay  west  of  the  encampment,  and  its  waters  found 
their  way  into  the  great  reservoir  of  that  region  on  the 
same  side,  and  quite  near  to  the  spot  chosen  for  the  fire. 
All  these  peculiarities,  so  far  as  circumstances  allowed, 
had  been  noted  by  Deerslayer,  and  explained  to  his 
friend. 

The  reader  will  understand  that  the  little  rise  in  the 
ground  that  lay  behind  the  Indian  encampment,  greatly 
favored  the  secret  advance  of  the  two  adventurers.  It 
prevented  the  light  of  the  fire  diffusing  itself  on  the 
ground  directly  in  the  rear,  although  the  land  fell  away 
towards  the  water,  so  as  to  leave  what  might  be  termed 
the  left,  or  eastern  flank  of  the  position,  unprotected  by 
this  covering.  We  have  said  "unprotected,"  though  that 
is  not  properly  the  word,  since  the  knoll  behind  the  huts 
and  the  fire  offered  a  cover  for  those  who  were  now 
stealthily  approaching,  rather  than  any  protection  to  the 
Indians.  Deerslayer  did  not  break  through  the  fringe  of 
bushes  immediately  abreast  of  the  canoe,  which  might 
have  brought  him  too  suddenly  within  the  influence  of 
the  light,  since  the  hillock  did  not  extend  to  the  water; 
but  he  followed  the  beach  northerly  until  he  had  got 
nearly  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  tongue  of  land,  which 
brought  him  under  the  shelter  of  the  low  acclivity,  and, 
consequently,  more  in  shadow. 

As  soon  as  the  friends  emerged  from  the  bushes,  they 
stopped  to  reconnoiter.  The  fire  was  still  blazing  behind 
the  little  ridge,  casting  its  light  upward  into  the  tops  of 
the  trees,  producing  an  effect  that  was  more  pleasing  than 
advantageous.  Still  the  glare  had  its  uses;  for,  while 
the  background  was  in  obscurity,  the  foreground  was  in 


THE    DEERSLAYER  283 

strong  light;  exposing  the  savages  and  concealing  their 
foes.  Profiting  by  the  latter  circumstance,  the  young 
men  advanced  cautiously  towards  the  ridge,  Deerslayer  in 
front,  for  he  insisted  on  this  arrangement,  lest  the  Dela 
ware  should  be  led  by  his  feelings  into  some  indiscretion. 
It  required  but  a  moment  to  reach  the  foot  of  the  little 
ascent,  and  then  commenced  the  most  critical  part  of  the 
enterprise.  Moving  with  exceeding  caution,  and  trailing 
his  rifle,  both  to  keep  its  barrel  out  of  view,  and  in  read 
iness  for  service,  the  hunter  put  foot  before  foot,  until  he 
had  got  sufficiently  high  to  overlook  the  summit,  his  own 
head  being  alone  brought  into  the  light.  Chingachgook 
was  at  his  side,  and  both  paused  to  take  another  close 
examination  of  the  camp.  In  order,  however,  to  protect 
themselves  against  any  straggler  in  the  rear,  they  placed 
their  bodies  against  the  trunk  of  an  oak,  standing  on  the 
side  next  the  fire. 

The  view  that  Deerslayer  now  obtained  of  the  camp 
was  exactly  the  reverse  of  that  he  had  perceived  from  the 
water.  The  dim  figures  which  he  had  formerly  discovered 
must  have  been  on  the  summit  of  the  ridge,  a  few  feet  in 
advance  of  the  spot  where  he  was  now  posted.  The  fire 
was  still  blazing  brightly,  and  around  it  were  seated  on 
logs  thirteen  warriors,  which  accounted  for  all  whom  he 
had  seen  from  the  canoe.  They  were  conversing  with 
much  earnestness  among  themselves,  tne  image  of  the 
elephant  passing  from  hand  to  hand.  The  first  burst  of 
savage  wonder  had  abated,  and  the  question  now  under 
discussion  was  the  probable  existence,  the  history  and 
habits  of  so  extraordinary  an  animal.  We  have  not  lei 
sure  to  record  the  opinions  of  these  rude  men  on  a  subject 
so  consonant  to  their  lives  and  experience;  but  little  is 
hazarded  in  saying  that  they  were  quite  as  plausible,  and 
far  more  ingenious,  than  half  the  conjectures  that  precede 
the  demonstrations  of  science.  However  much  they  may 
have  been  at  fault  as  to  their  conclusions  and  inferences, 
it  is  certain  that  they  discussed  the  questions  with  a 
zealous  and  most  undivided  attention.  For  the  time 
being,  all  else  was  forgotten,  and  our  adventurers  could 
not  have  approached  at  a  more  fortunate  instant. 

The  females  were  collected  near  each  other,  much  as 


284  THE   DEERSLAYER 

Deerslayer  had  last  seen  them,  nearly  in  a  line  between 
the  place  where  he  now  stood  and  the  fire.  The  distance 
from  the  oak  against  which  the  young  men  leaned  and  the 
warriors  was  about  thirty  yards;  the  women  may  have 
been  half  that  number  of  yards  nigher.  The  latter, 
indeed,  were  so  near  as  to  make  the  utmost  circumspec 
tion,  as  to  motion  and  noise,  indispensable.  Although 
they  conversed  in  their  low,  soft  voices,  it  was  possible, 
In  the  profound  stillness  of  the  woods,  even  to  catch 
passages  of  the  discourse;  and  the  light-hearted  laugh 
that  escaped  the  girls  might  occasionally  have  reached 
the  canoe.  Deerslayer  felt  the  tremor  that  passed  through 
the  frame  of  his  friend,  when  the  latter  first  caught  the 
"sweet  sounds  that  issued  from  the  plump,  pretty  lips  of 
Hist.  He  even  laid  a  hand  on  the  shoulder  of  the  Indian, 
as  a  sort  of  admonition  to  command  himself.  As  the 
conversation  grew  more  earnest  each  leaned  forward  to 
listen. 

"The  Huronshave  more  curious  beasts  than  that,"  said 
one  of  the  girls  contemptuously;  for,  like  the  men,  they 
conversed  of  the  elephant  and  his  qualities.  "The  Dela- 
wares  will  think  this  creature  wonderful,  but  to-morrow 
no  Huron  tongue  will  talk  of  it.  Our  young  men  will 
find  him  if  the  animal  dares  to  come  near  our  wigwams. " 

This  was  in  fact  addressed  to  Wah-ta-Wah,  though  she 
who  spoke  uttered  her  words  with  an  assumed  diffidence 
and  humility,  that  prevented  her  looking  at  the  other. 
i  "The  Delawares  are  so  far  from  letting  such  creatures 
come  into  their  country,"  returned  Hist,  "that  no  one 
has  even  seen  their  images  there!  There  young  men 
'would  frighten  away  the  images  as  well  as  the  beasts." 

"The  Delaware  young  men! — the  nation  is  women — • 
even  the  deer  walk  when  they  hear  their  hunters  coming. 
Who  has  ever  heard  the  name  of  a  young  Delaware  war- 
'rior?" 

This  was  said  in  good-humor,  and  with  a  laugh;  but  it 
'was  also  said  bitingly.  That  Hist  so  felt  it,  was  apparent 
by  the  spirit  betrayed  in  her  answer. 

\  "Who  has  ever  heard  the  name  of  a  young  Delaware!" 
she  repeated  earnestly.  "Tamenund,  himself,  though 
now  as  old  as  the  pines  on  the  hill,  or  as  the  eagles  in  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  286 

air,  was  once  young;  his  name  was  heard  from  the  great 
salt  lake  to  the  sweet  waters  of  the  west.  What  is  the 
family  of  Uncas?  Where  is  another  as  great,  though  the 
pale-faces  have  ploughed  up  its  graves,  and  trodden  on 
its  bones?  Do  the  eagles  fly  as  high,  is  the  deer  as  swift, 
or  the  panther  as  brave?  Is  there  no  young  warrior  of 
that  race?  Let  the  Huron  maidens  open  their  eyes  wider, 
and  they  may  see  one  called  Chingachgook,  who  is  as 
stately  as  a  young  ash,  and  as  tough  as  the  hickory.'' 

As  the  girl  used  her  figurative  language,  and  told  her 
companions  to  "open  their  eyes  and  they  would  see"  the 
Delaware,  Deerslayer  thrust  his  fingers  into  the  sides  of 
his  friend,  and  indulged  in  a  fit  of  his  hearty,  benevolent 
laughter.  The  other  smiled;  but  the  language  of  the 
speaker  was  too  flattering,  and  the  tones  of  her  voice  too 
sweet  for  him  to  be  led  away  by  any  accidental  coinci 
dence,  however  ludicrous.  The  speech  of  Hist  produced 
a  retort,  and  the  dispute,  though  conducted  in  gocd- 
humor,  and  without  any  of  the  coarse  violence  of  tone  and 
gesture  that  often  impairs  the  charms  of  the  sex  in  what 
is  called  civilized  life,  grew  warm  and  slightly  clamorous. 

In  the  midst  of  this  scene  the  Delaware  caused  his 
friend  to  stoop,  so  as  completely  to  conceal  himself,  and 
then  he  made  a  noise  so  closely  resembling  the  little 
chirrup  of  the  smallest  species  of  the  American  squirrel, 
that  Deerslayer  himself,  though  he  had  heard  the  imitation 
a  hundred  times,  actually  thought  it  came  from  one  of 
the  little  animals  skipping  about  over  his  head.  The 
sound  is  so  familiar  in  the  woods  that  none  of  the  Hurons 
paid  it  the  least  attention.  Hist,  however,  instantly 
ceased  talking,  and  sat  motionless.  Still,  she  had  suffi 
cient  self-command  to  abstain  from  turning  her  head. 
She  had  heard  the  signal  by  which  her  lover  so  often  called 
her  from  the  wigwam  to  the  stolen  interview,  and  it 
came  over  her  senses  and  her  heart,  as  the  serenade  affects 
the  maiden  in  the  land  of  song. 

From  that  moment  Chingachgook  felt  certain  that  his 
presence  was  known.  This  was  effecting  much,  and  he 
could  now  hope  for  a  bolder  line  of  conduct  on  the  part 
of  his  mistress,  than  she  might  dare  to  adopt  under  an 
uncertainty  of  his  situation.  It  left  no  doubt  of  her  en- 


THE   DEERSLAYER 

deavoring  to  aid  him  in  his  effort  to  release  her.  Deer- 
slayer  arose  as  soon  as  the  signal  was  given,  and  though 
he  had  never  held  that  sweet  communion  which  is  known 
only  to  lovers,  he  was  not  slow  to  detect  the  great  change 
that  had  come  over  the  manner  of  the  girl.  She  still 
affected  to  dispute,  though  it  was  no  longer  with  spirit 
and  ingenuity,  but  what  she  said  was  uttered  more  as  a 
lure  to  draw  her  antagonists  on  to  an  easy  conquest  than 
with  any  hopes  of  succeeding  herself.  Once  or  twice,  it 
is  true,  her  native  readiness  suggested  a  retort  or  an 
argument  that  raised  a  laugh,  and  gave  her  a  momentary 
advantage;  but  these  little  sallies,  the  offspring  of  mother- 
wit,  served  the  better  to  conceal  her  real  feelings,  and  to 
give  to  the  triumph  of  the  other  party  a  more  natural  air 
than  it  might  have  possessed  without  them.  At  length 
the  disputants  became  wearied,  and  they  rose  in  a  body 
as  if  about  to  separate.  It  was  now  that  Hist  for  the 
first  time  ventured  to  turn  her  face  in  the  direction 
whence  the  signal  had  come.  In  doing  this,  her  move 
ments  were  natural  but  guarded,  and  she  stretched  her 
arm  and  yawned,  as  if  overcome  with  a  desire  to  sleep. 
The  chirrup  was  again  heard,  and  the  girl  felt  satisfied  as 
to  the  position  of  her  lover,  though  the  strong  light  in 
\vkich  she  herself  was  placed,  and  the  comparative  dark 
ness  in  which  the  adventurers  stood,  prevented  her  from 
seeing  their  heads,  the  only  portions  of  their  forms  that 
appeared  above  the  ridge  at  all.  The  tree  against  which 
they  were  posted  had  a  dark  shadow  cast  upon  it  by  the 
intervention  of  an  enormous  pine  that  grew  between  it 
and  the  fire,  a  circumstance  which  alone  would  have  ren 
dered  objects  within  its  cloud  invisible  at  any  distance. 
This  Deerslayer  well  knew,  and  it  was  one  of  the  reasons 
why  he  had  selected  this  particular  tree. 

The  moment  was  near  when  it  became  necessary  for  Hist 
to  act.  She  was  to  sleep  in  a  small  hut,  or  bower,  that  had 
been  built  near  the  spot  where  she  stood,  and  her  com 
panion  was  the  aged  hag  already  mentioned.  .  Once  within 
the  hut,  with  this  sleepless  old  woman  stretched  across  the 
entrance,  as  was  her  nightly  practise,  the  hope  of  escape 
was  nearly  destroyed,  and  she  might  at  any  moment  be 
summoned  to  her  bed.  Luckily,  at  this  instant,  one  of  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  287 

warriors  called  to  the  old  woman  by  name,  and  bade  her 
bring  him  water  to  drink.  There  was  a  delicious  spring 
on  the  northern  side  of  the  point,  and  the  hag  took  a 
gourd  from  a  branch,  and  summoning  Hist  to  her  side, 
she  moved  towards  the  summit  of  the  ridge,  intending  to 
descend  and  cross  the  point  to  the  natural  fountain.  All 
this  was  seen  and  understood  by  the  adventurers,  and 
they  fell  back  into  the  obscurity,  concealing  their  persons 
by  trees,  until  the  two  females  had  passed  them.  In  walk 
ing,  Hist  was  held  tightly  by  the  hand.  As  she  moved  by 
the  tree  that  hid  Chingachgook  and  his  friend,  the  former 
felt  for  his  tomahawk,  with  the  intention  to  bury  it  in 
the  brain  of  the  woman.  But  the  other  saw  the  hazard 
of  such  a  measure,  since  a  single  scream  might  bring  all 
the  warriors  upon  them,  and  he  was  averse  to  the  act  on 
considerations  of  humanity.  His  hand,  therefore,  pre 
vented  the  blow.  Still  as  the  two  moved  past,  the  chirrup 
was  repeated,  and  the  Huron  woman  stopped  and  faced 
the  tree  whence  the  sounds  seemed  to  proceed,  standing, 
at  the  moment,  within  six  feet  of  her  enemies.  She  ex 
pressed  her  surprise  that  a  squirrel  should  be  in  motion 
at  so  late  an  hour  and  said  it  boded  evil.  Hist  answered 
that  she  had  heard  the  same  squirrel  three  times  within 
the  last  twenty  minutes,  and  that  she  supposed  it  was 
Waiting  to  obtain  some  of  the  crumbs  left  from  the  late 
supper.  This  explanation  appeared  satisfactory,  and  they 
moved  towards  the  spring,  the  men  following  stealthily 
and  closely.  The  gourd  was  filled,  and  the  old  woman  was 
hurrying  back,  her  hand  still  grasping  the  wrist  of  the 
girl,  when  she  was  suddenly  seized  so  violently  by  the 
throat,  as  to  cause  her  to  release  her  captive,  and  to  pre 
vent  her  making  any  other  sound  than  a  sort  of  gurgling, 
suffocating  noise.  The  Serpent  passed  his  arm  round  the 
waist  of  his  mistress,  and  dashed  through  the  bushes  with 
her,  on  the  north  side  of  the  point.  Here  he  immedi 
ately  turned  along  the  beach  and  ran  towards  the  canoe. 
A  more  direct  course  could  have  been  taken,  but  it  might 
have  led  to  a  discovery  of  the  place  of  embarking. 

Deerslayer  kept  playing  on  the  throat  of  the  old  woman, 
like  the  keys  of  an  organ,  occasionally  allowing  her  to 
breathe,  and  then  compressing  his  fingers  again  nearly  to 


THE   DEERSLAYER 

strangling.  The  brief  intervals  for  breath,  however, 
were  well  improved,  and  the  hag  succeeded  in  letting  out 
a  screech  or  two  that  served  to  alarm  the  camp.  The 
tramp  of  the  warriors,  as  they  sprang  from  the  fire,  was 
plainly  audible;  and,  at  the  next  moment,  three  or  four 
of  them  appeared  on  the  top  of  the  ridge,  drawn  against 
the  background  of  light,  resembling  the  dim  shadows  of 
the  phantasmagoria.  It  was  now  quite  time  for  the  hunter 
to  retreat.  Tripping  up  the  heels  of  his  captive,  and  giv 
ing  her  throat  a  parting  squeeze,  quite  as  much  in  resent 
ment  at  her  indomitable  efforts  to  sound  the  alarm,  as 
from  any  policy,  he  left  her  on  her  back,  and  moved 
towards  the  bushes,  his  rifle  at  a  poise,  and  his  head  over 
his  shoulders,  like  a  lion  at  bay. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

"  There,  ye  wise  saints,  behold  your  light,  your  star, 
Ye  would  be  dupes  and  victims,  and  ye  are, 
Is  it  enough  ?  or  must  I,  while  a  thrill 
Lives  in  y^ur  sapient  bosoms,  cheat  you  still?" 

—MOORE. 

THE  fire,  the  canoe,  and  the  spring,  near  which  Deer- 
slayer  commenced  his  retreat,  would  have  stood  in  the 
angles  of  a  triangle  of  tolerably  equal  sides.  The  distance 
from  the  fire  to  the  boat  was  a  little  less  than  the  distance 
from  the  fire  to  the  spring,  while  the  distance  from  the 
spring  to  the  boat  was  about  equal  to  that  between  the 
two  points  first  named.  This,  however,  was  in  straight 
lines — a  means  of  escape  to  which  the  fugitives  could  not 
resort.  They  were  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  a  detour 
in  order  to  get  the  cover  of  the  bushes,  and  to  follow  the 
curvature  of  the  beach.  Under  these  disadvantages,  then, 
the  hunter  commenced  his  retreat — disadvantages  that  he 
felt  to  be  so  much  the  greater,  from  his  knowledge  of  the 
habits  of  all  Indians,  who  rarely  fail  in  cases  of  sudden 
alarm,  more  especially  when  in  the  midst  of  cover,  im 
mediately  to  throw  out  flankers,  with  a  view  to  meet  their 
foes  at  all  points,  and  if  possible  to  turn  their  rear.  That 
some  such  course  was  now  adopted,  he  believed  from  the 
tramp  of  feet,  which  not  only  came  up  the  ascent,  as 
related,  but  were  also  heard,  under  the  faint  impulse, 
diverging  not  only  towards  the  hill  in  the  rear,  but  to 
wards  the  extremity  of  the  point,  in  a  direction  opposite 
to  that  he  was  about  to  take  himself.  Promptitude  con 
sequently  became  a  matter  of  the  last  importance,  as  the 
parties  might  meet  on  the  strand  before  the  fugitive 
could  reach  the  canoe. 

Notwithstanding  the  pressing  nature  of  the  emergency, 

Deerslayer  hesitated  a  single  instant  ere  he  plunged  into 

the  bushes  that  lined  the  shore.     His  feelings  had  been 

awakened  by  the  whole  scene,  and  a  sternness  of  purpose 

19  289 


290  THE   DEERSLAYER 

had  come  over  him,  to  which  he  was  ordinarily  a  stranger. 
Four  dark  figures  loomed  in  the  ridge,  drawn  against  the 
brightness  of  the  fire,  and  an  enemy  might  have  been 
sacr:5ced  at  a  glance.  The  Indians  had  paused  to  gaze 
into  the  gloom  in  search  of  the  screeching  hag;  and  with 
many  a  man  less  given  to  reflection  than  the  hunter,  the 
death  of  one  of  them  would  have  been  certain.  Luckily, 
he  was  more  prudent.  Although  the  rifle  dropped  a  little 
towards  the  foremost  of  his  pursuers,  he  did  not  aim  or 
fire,  but  disappeared  in  the  cover.  To  gain  the  beach, 
and  to  follow  it  round  to  the  place  where  Chingachgook 
was  already  in  the  canoe  with  Hist,  anxiously  awaiting 
his  appearances,  occupied  but  a  moment.  Laying  his  rifle 
in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe,  Deerslayer  stooped  to  give 
the  latter  a  vigorous  shove  from  the  shore,  when  a  power 
ful  Indian  leaped  through  the  bushes,  alighting  like  a 
panther  on  his  back.  Everything  was  now  suspended  by 
a  hair;  a  false  step  ruining  all.  With  a  generosity  that 
would  have  rendered  a  Roman  illustrious  throughout  all 
time,  but  which,  in  the  career  of  one  so  simple  and 
humble,  would  have  been  forever  lost  to  the  world,  but 
for  this  unpretending  legend,  Deerslayer  threw  all  his 
force  into  a  desperate  effort,  shoved  the  canoe  off  with  a 
power  that  sent  it  a  hundred  feet  from  the  shore  as  it 
might  be  in  an  instant,  and  fell  forward  into  the  lake 
himself,  face  downward;  his  assailant  necessarily  follow 
ing  him. 

Although  the  water  was  deep  within  a  few  yards  of  the 
beach,  it  was  not  more  than  breast-high  as  close  in  as  the 
spot  where  the  two  combatants  fell.  Still  this  was  quite 
sufficient  to  destroy  one  who  had  sunk  under  the  great 
disadvantages  in  which  Deerslayer  was  placed.  His  hands 
were  free,  however,  and  the  savage  was  compelled  to  re 
linquish  his  hug  to  keep  his  own  face  above  the  surface. 
For  half  a  minute  there  was  a  desperate  struggle,  like 
the  floundering  of  an  alligator  that  has  just  seized  some 
powerful  prey,  and  then  both  stood  erect,  grasping  each 
other's  arms,  in  order  to  prevent  the  use  of  the  deadly 
knife  in  the  darkness.  What  might  have  been  the  issue 
of  this  severe  personal  struggle  cannot  be  known,  for 
half-a-dozen  savages  came  leaping  into  the  water  to  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  291 

aid  of  their  friend,  and  Deerslayer  yielded  himself  a  pris 
oner  with  a  dignity  that  was  as  remarkable  as  his  self- 
devotion. 

To  quit  the  lake  and  lead  their  new  captive  to  the  fire 
occupied  the  Indians  but  another  minute.  So  much  en 
gaged  were  they  all  with  the  struggle  and  its  consequences 
that  the  canoe  was  unseen,  though  it  still  lay  so  near  the 
shore  as  to  render  every  syllable  that  was  uttered  perfectly 
intelligible  to  the  Delaware  and  his  betrothed;  and  the 
whole  party  left  the  spot,  some  continuing  the  pursuit 
after  Hist,  along  the  beach,  though  most  proceeded  to  the 
light.  Here  Deerslayer's  antagonist  so  far  recovered  his 
breath  and  his  recollection,  for  he  had  been  throttled 
nearly  to  strangulation,  as  to  relate  the  manner  in  which 
the  girl  had  got  off.  It  was  now  too  late  to  assail  the 
other  fugitives,  for  no  sooner  was  his  friend  led  into 
the  bushes  than  the  Delaware  placed  his  paddle  into  the 
water,  and  the  light  canoe  glided  noiselessly  away,  hold 
ing  its  course  towards  the  center  of  the  lake,  until  safe 
from  shot,  after  which  it  sought  the  ark. 

When  Deerslayer  reached  the  fire,  he  found  himself 
surrounded  by  no  less  than  eight  grim  savages,  among 
whom  was  his  old  acquaintance  Rivenoak.  As  soon  as  the 
latter  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  captive's  countenance,  he 
spoke  apart  to  his  companions,  and  a  low  but  general  ex 
clamation  of  pleasure  and  surprise  escaped  them.  They 
knew  that  the  conqueror  of  their  late  friend,  he  who  had 
fallen  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake,  was  in  their  hands, 
and  subject  to  their  mercy  or  vengeance.  There  was  no 
little  admiration  mingled  in  the  ferocious  looks  that  were 
thrown  on  the  prisoner,  an  admiration  that  was  as  much 
excited  by  his  present  composure  as  by  his  past  deeds. 
This  scene  may  be  said  to  have  been  the  commencement 
of  the  great  and  terrible  reputation  that  Deerslayer,  or 
Hawkeye,  as  he  was  afterwards  called,  enjoyed  among  all 
the  tribes  of  New  York  and  Canada;  a  reputation  that 
was  certainly  more  limited  in  its  territorial  and  numeri 
cal  extent,  than  those  which  are  possessed  in  civilized 
life,  but  which  was  compensated  for  what  it  wanted  in 
these  particulars,  perhaps,  by  its  greater  justice,  and  the 
total  absence  of  mystification  and  management. 


292  THE   DEERSLAYER 

The  arms  of  Deerslayer  were  not  pinioned,  and  he  was 
left  the  free  use  of  his  hands,  his  knife  having  been  first 
removed.  The  only  precaution  that  was  taken  to  secure 
his  person  was  untiring  watchfulness,  and  a  strong  rope 
of  bark  that  passed  from  ankle  to  ankle,  not  so  much  to 
prevent  his  walking  as  to  place  an  obstacle  in  the  way  of 
his  attempting  to  escape  by  any  sudden  leap.  Even  this 
extra  provision  against  flight  was  not  made  until  the 
captive  had  been  brought  to  the  light  and  his  character 
ascertained.  It  was,  in  fact,  a  compliment  to  his  prowess, 
and  he  felt  proud  of  the  distinction.  That  he  might  be 
bound  when  the  warriors  slept  he  thought  probable,  but 
to  be  bound  ki  the  moment  of  capture  showed  that  he  was 
already,  and  thus  early,  attaining  a  name.  While  tha 
young  Indians  were  fastening  the  rope,  he  wondered  if 
Chingachgook  would  have  been  treated  in  the  same  man 
ner,  had  he  too  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Ncr 
did  the  reputation  of  the  young  pale  face  rest  altogether 
on  his  success  in  the  previous  combat,  or  in  his  discrim 
inating  and  cool  manner  of  managing  the  late  negotiation; 
for  it  had  received  a  great  accession  by  the  occurrences  of 
the  night.  Ignorant  of  the  movements  of  the  ark,  and  of 
the  accident  that  had  brought  their  fire  into  view,  the 
Iroquois  attributed  the  discovery  of  their  new  camp  to 
the  vigilance  of  so  shrewd  a  foe.  The  manner  in  which 
he  ventured  upon  the  point,  the  abstraction  or  escape  of 
Hist,  and  most  of  all  the  self-devotion  of  the  prisoner, 
united  to  the  readiness  with  which  he  had  sent  the  canoe 
adrift,  were  so  many  important  links  in  the  chain  of  facts 
on  which  his  growing  fame  was  founded.  Many  of  these 
circumstances  had  been  seen,  some  had  been  explained, 
and  all  were  understood. 

While  this  admiration  and  these  honors  were  so  unre 
servedly  bestowed  on  Deerslayer,  he  did  not  escape  some 
of  the  penalties  of  his  situation.  He  was  permitted  to 
seat  himself  on  the  end  of  a  log,  near  the  fire,  in  order  to 
dry  his  clothes.,  his  late  adversary  standing  opposite,  now 
holding  articles  of  his  own  scanty  vestments  to  the  heat, 
and  now  feeling  his  throat,  on  which  the  marks  of  his 
enemy's  fingers  were  still  quite  visible.  The  rest  of  the 
warriors  consulted  together,  near  at  hand,  all  those  who 


THE  DEERSLAYER  293 

had  been  out  having  returned  to  report  that  no  signs  of 
any  other  prowlers  near  the  camp  were  to  be  found.  In 
this  state  of  things,  the  old  woman,  whose  name  was 
Shebear,  in  plain  English,  approached  Deerslayer,  with 
her  fists  clenched  and  her  eyes  flashing  fire.  Hitherto  she 
had  been  occupied  with  screaming,  an  employment  at 
which  she  had  played  her  part  with  no  small  degree  of 
success,  but  having  succeeded  in  effectually  alarming  all 
within  reach  of  a  pair  of  lungs  that  had  been  strengthened 
by  long  practice,  she  next  turned  her  attention  to  the 
injuries  her  own  person  had  sustained  in  the  struggle. 
These  were  in  no  manner  material,  though  they  were  of  a 
nature  to  arouse  all  the  fury  of  a  woman  who  had  long 
ceased  to  attract  by  means  of  the  gentler  qualities,  and 
who  was  much  disposed  to  revenge  the  hardships  she  had 
so  long  endured,  as  the  neglected  wife  and  mother  of  sav 
ages,  on  all  who  came  within  her  power.  If  Deerslayer 
had  not  permanently  injured  her,  he  had  temporarily 
caused  her  to  suffer,  and  she  was  not  a  person  to  over 
look  a  wrong  of  this  nature  on  account  of  its  motive. 

"Skunk  of  the  pale  faces,"  commenced  this  exasperated 
and  semi-poetic  fury,  shaking  her  fist  under  the  nose  of 
the  impassible  hunter,  "you  are  not  even  a  woman.  Your 
friends,  the  Delawares,  are  only  women,  and  you  are  their 
sheep.  Your  own  people  will  not  own  you,  and  no  tribe 
of  red  men  would  have  you  in  their  wigwams;  you  skulk 
among  petti  coated  warriors.  You  slay  our  brave  friend 
\vho  has  left  us? — no — his  great  soul  scorned  to  fight  you, 
and  left  his  body  rather  than  have  the  shame  of  slaying 
you!  But  the  blood  that  you  spilt  when  the  spirit  was 
not  looking  on  has  not  sunk  into  the  ground.  It  must  be 
buried  in  your  groans!  What  music  do  I  hear?  Those 
are  not  thewailings  of  a  red  man! — no  red  warrior  groans 
so  much  like  a  hog.  They  come  from  a  pale-face  throat 
— a  Yengeese  bosom,  and  sound  as  pleasant  as  girls  sing 
ing.  Dog — skunk— woodchuck — mink — hedge-hog — pig 
— toad — spider — Yengee— 

Here  the  old  woman,  having  expended  her  breath,  and 
exhausted  her  epithets,  was  fain  to  pause  a  moment, 
though  both  her  fists  were  shaken  in  the  prisoner's  face, 
and  the  whole  of  her  wrinkled  countenance  was  filled  with 


294  THE   DEERSLAYER 

fierce  resentment.  Deerslayer  looked  upon  these  impotent 
attempts  to  arouse  him,  as  indifferently  as  a  gentleman  in 
our  own  state  of  society  regards  the  vituperative  terms  of 
a  blackguard:  the  one  party  feeling  that  the  tongue  of  an 
old  woman  could  never  injure  a  warrior,  and  the  other 
knowing  that  mendacity  and  vulgarity  can  only  perma 
nently  affect  those  who  resort  to  their  use;  but  he  was 
spared  any  further  attack  at  present  by  the  interposition 
of  Rivenoak,  who  shoved  aside  the  hag,  bidding  her  quit 
the  spot,  and  prepared  to  take  his  seat  at  the  side  of  his 
prisoner.  The  old  woman  withdrew,  but  the  hunter  well 
understood  that  he  was  to  be  the  subject  of  all  her  means 
of  annoyance,  if  not  of  positive  injury,  so  long  as  he  re 
mained  in  the  power  of  his  enemies;  for  nothing  rankles 
so  deeply  as  the  consciousness  that  an  attempt  to  irritate 
has  been  met  by  contempt,  a  feeling  that  is  usually  the 
most  passive  of  any  that  is  harbored  in  the  human  breast. 
Rivenoak  quietly  took  the  seat  we  have  mentioned,  and 
after  a  short  pause,  he  commenced  a  dialogue  which  we 
translate  as  usual  for  the  benefit  of  those  readers  who 
have  not  studied  the  North  American  languages. 

"My  pale-face  friend  is  very  welcome,"  said  the  Indian, 
with  a  familiar  nod,  and  a  smile  so  covert  that  it  required 
all  Deerslayer's  vigilance  to  detect,  and  not  a  little  of 
his  philosophy  to  detect  unmoved;  "he  is  welcome.  The 
Hurons  keep  a  hot  fire  to  dry  the  white  man's  clothes." 

"I  thank  you,  Huron,  or  Mingo,  as  I  most  like  to  call 
you,"  returned  the  other;  "I  thank  you  for  the  welcome, 
and  I  thank  you  for  the  fire.  Each  is  good  in  its  way, 
and  the  last  is  very  good,  when  one  has  been  in  a  spring 
as  cold  as  the  Glimmerglass.  Even  Huron  warmth  may 
be  pleasant,  at  such  a  time,  to  a  man  with  a  Delaware 
heart." 

"The  pale  face — but  my  brother  has  a  name?  So  great 
a  warrior  would  not  have  lived  without  a  name?" 

"Mingo,"  said  the  hunter,  a  little  of  the  weakness  of 
human  nature  exhibiting  itself  in  the  glance  of  his  eye, 
and  the  color  on  his  cheek,  "Mingo,  your  brave  called  me 
Hawkeye,  I  suppose  on  account  of  a  quick  and  sartain  aim, 
when  he  was  lying  with  his  head  in  my  lap,  afore  his 
spirit  started  for  the  happy  hunting-grounds." 


THE    DEERSLAYER  295 

'"Tis  a  good  name!  The  hawk  is  sure  of  his  blow. 
Hawkeye  is  not  a  woman;  why  does  he  live  with  the 
Delawares?" 

"I  understand  you,  Mingo,  but  we  look  on  all  that  as 
a  sarcumvention  of  some  of  your  subtle  devils,  and  deny 
the  charge.  Providence  placed  me  among  the  Delawares 
young;  and,  'bating  what  Christian  usages  demand  of  my 
color  and  gifts,  I  hope  to  live  and  die  in  their  tribe.  Still 
I  do  not  mean  to  throw  away  altogether  my  natyve  rights, 
and  shall  strive  to  do  a  pale-face's  duty  in  red-skin 
society." 

"Good!  a  Huron  is  a  red-skin,  as  well  as  a  Delaware. 
Hawkeye  is  more  of  a  Huron  than  of  a  woman. ' ' 

"I  suppose  you  know,  Mingo,  you  own  meaning;  if  you 
don't,  I  make  no  question  'tis  well  known  to  Satan.  But 
if  you  wish  to  get  anything  out  of  me,  speak  plainer,  for 
bargains  cannot  be  made  blindfolded  or  tongue-tied." 

"Good!  Hawkeye  has  not  a  forked  tongue,  and  he  likes 
to  say  what  he  thinks.  He  is  an  acquaintance  of  the 
Muskrat" — this  was  a  name  by  which  all  the  Indians 
designated  Hutter — "and  he  has  lived  in  his  wigwam; 
but  he  is  not  a  friend.  He  wants  no  scalps,  like  a  miser 
able  Indian,  but  fights  like  a  stout-hearted  pale-face.  The 
Muskrat  is  neither  white  nor  red ;  neither  a  beast  nor  a 
fish.  He  is  a  water-snake;  sometimes  in  the  spring  and 
sometimes  on  the  land.  He  looks  for  scalps  like  an  out 
cast.  Hawkeye  can  go  back  and  tell  him  how  he  has 
outwitted  the  Hurons,  how  he  has- escaped;  and  when  his 
eyes  are  in  a  fog,  when  he  can't  see  as  far  as  from  his  cabin 
to  the  woods,  then  Hawkeye  can  open  the  door  for  the 
Hurons.  And  how  will  the  plunder  be  divided?  Why, 
Hawkeye  will  carry  away  the  most,  and  the  Hurons  will 
take  what  he  may  choose  to  leave  behind  him.  The  scalps 
can  go  to  Canada,  for  a  pale  face  has  no  satisfaction  in 
them?" 

"Well,  well,  Rivenoak — for  so  I  hear  'em  tarm  you — 
this  is  plain  English  enough,  though  spoken  in  Iroquois. 
I  understand  all  you  mean,  now,  and  must  say  it  out- 
devils  even  Mingo  deviltry!  No  doubt,  'twould  be  easy 
enough  to  go  back  and  tell  the  Muskrat  that  I  had  got 
away  from  you,  and  gain  some  credit,  too,  by  the  ex- 
pl'ite." 


296  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Good!  that  is  what  I  want  the  pale  face  to  do." 

"Yes — yes — that's  plain  enough.  I  know  what  you 
want  me  to  do,  without  more  words.  When  inside  the 
house,  and  eating  the  Muskrat's  bread,  and  laughing  and 
talking  with  his  pretty  darters,  I  might  put  his  eyes  into 
so  thick  a  fog,  that  he  couldn't  even  see  the  door,  much 
less  the  land." 

"Good!  Hawkeye  should  have  been  born  a  Huron! 
His  blood  is  not  more  than  half  white!" 

"There  you're  out,  Huron;  yes,  there  you're  as  much 
out  as  if  you  mistook  a  wolf  for  a  catamount.  I'm  white 
in  blood,  heart,  natur',  and  gifts,  though  a  little  red-skin 
in  feelin's  and  habits.  But  when  old  Hutter's  eyes  are 
well  befogged,  and  his  pretty  darters,  perhaps,  in  a  deep 
sleep,  and  Hurry  Harry,  the  Great  Pine,  as  you  Indians 
tarm  him,  is  dreaming  of  anything  but  mischief,  and  all 
suppose  Hawkeye  is  acting  as  a  faithful  sentinel,  all  I 
have  to  do  is,  to  set  a  torch  somewhere  in  sight  for  a 
signal,  open  the  door,  and  let  in  the  Hurons  to  knock  'em 
all  on  the  head." 

"Surely  my  brother  is  mistaken;  he  cannot  be  white! 
He  is  worthy  to  be  a  great  chief  among  the  Hurons!" 

"That  is  true  enough,  I  dare  to  say,  if  he  could  do  all 
this.  Now,  harkee,  Huron,  and  for  once  hear  a  few 
honest  words  from  the  mouth  of  a  plain  man.  I  am  a 
Christian  born,  and  them  that  come  of  such  a  stock,  and 
that  listen  to  the  words  that  were  spoken  to  their  fathers, 
and  will  be  spoken  to  their  children,  until  'arth  and  all  it 
holds  perishes,  can  never  lend  themselves  to  such  wicked 
ness.  Sarcumventions  in  war  may  be,  and  are,  lawful; 
but  sarcumventions,  and  deceit,  and  treachery,  among 
fri'nds,  are  fit  only  for  the  pale-face  devils.  I  know  that 
there  are  white  men  enough  to  give  you  this  wrong  idee 
of  our  natur',  but  such  are  ontrue  to  their  blood  and 
gifts,  and  ought  to  be,  if  they  are  not,  outcasts  and  vaga 
bonds.  No  upright  pale  face  could  do  what  you  wish, 
and  to  be  as  plain  with  you  as  I  wish  to  be,  in  my  judg 
ment  no  upright  Delaware  either;  with  a  Mingo  it  may 
be  different." 

The  Huron  listened  to  his  rebuke  with  obvious  disgust; 
but  he  had  his  ends  in  view,  and  was  too  wily  to  lose  all 


THE   DEERSLAYER  297 

chance  of  effecting  them  by  a  precipitate  avowal  of 
resentment.  Affecting  to  smile,  he  seemed  to  listen 
eagerly,  and  he  then  pondered  on  what  he  had  heard. 

"Does  Hawkeye  love  the  Muskrat?"  he  abruptly  de 
manded;  "or  does  he  love  his  daughters?" 

"Neither,  Mingo.  Old  Tom  is  not  a  man  to  gain  my 
love;  and  as  far  the  darters,  they  are  comely  enough  to 
gain  the  liking  of  any  young  man;  but  there's  reason 
ag'in  any  very  great  love  for  either.  Hetty  is  a  good 
soul,  but  natur'  has  laid  a  heavy  hand  on  her  mind,  poor 
thing!" 

"And  the  Wild  Rose!"  exclaimed  the  Huron — for  the 
fame  of  Judith's  beauty  had  spread  among  those  who 
could  travel  the  wilderness  as  well  as  the  highway,  by 
means  of  old  eagles'  nests,  rocks,  and  riven  trees,  known 
to  them  by  report  and  tradition,  as  well  as  among  the 
white  borderers — "And  the  Wild  Rose;  is  she  not  sweet 
enough  to  be  put  in  the  bosom  of  my  brother?" 

Deerslayer  had  far  too  much  of  the  innate  gentleman 
to  insinuate  aught  against  the  fair  fame  of  one  who,  by 
nature  and  position,  was  so  helpless;  and  as  he  did  not 
choose  to  utter  an  untruth,  he  preferred  being  silent. 
The  Huron  mistook  the  motive,  and  supposed  that  disap 
pointed  affection  lay  at  the  bottom  of  his  reserve.  Still 
bent  on  corrupting  or  bribing  his  captive,  in  order  to 
obtain  possession  of  the  treasures  with  which  his  imagin 
ation  filled  the  castle,  he  persevered  in  his  attack. 

"Hawkeye  is  talking  with  a  friend,"  he  continued. 
"He  knows  that  Rivenoak  ic  a  man  of  his  word,  for  they 
have  traded  together,  and  trade  opens  the  soul.  My 
friend  has  come  here  on  account  of  a  little  string  held  by 
a  girl,  that  can  pull  the  whole  body  of  the  stoutest  war 
rior?" 

"You  are  nearer  the  truth  now,  Huron,  than  you've 
been  afore,  since  we  began  to  talk.  This  is  true.  But 
one  end  of  that  string  was  not  fast  to  my  heart,  not  did 
the  Wild  Rose  hold  the  other. ' ' 

"This  is  wonderful!  Does  my  brother  love  in  his  head, 
and  not  in  his  heart?  And  can  the  Feeble-Mind  pull  so 
hard  against  so  stout  a  warrior?" 

"There  it  is  ag'in;  sometimes  right  and  sometimes 


298  THE   DEERSLAYER 

wrong!  The  string  you  mean  is  fast  to  the  heart  of  a 
great  Delaware;  one  of  the  Mohican  stock  in  fact,  living 
among  the  Delawares  since  the  dispersion  of  his  own 
people,  and  of  the  family  of  Uncas — Chingachgook  by 
name,  or  Great  Sarpent.  He  has  come  here,  led  by  the 
string,  and  I've  followed,  or  rather  come  afore,  for  I  got 
here  first,  pulled  by  nothing  stronger  than  friendship; 
which  is  strong  enough  for  such  as  are  not  niggardly  of 
their  feelin's  and  are  willing  to  live  a  little  for  their  fel- 
low-creatur's  as  well  as  for  themselves." 

"But  a  string  has  two  ends — one  is  fast  to  the  mind  of 
a  Mohican,  and  the  other — 

"Why  the  other  was  held  close  to  the  fire,  half  an  hour 
since.  Wah-ta-Wah  held  it  in  her  hand,  if  she  didn't  hold 
it  to  her  heart. ' ' 

"I  understand  what  you  mean,  my  brother,"  returned 
the  Indian  gravely,  for  the  first  time  catching  a  direct 
clue  to  the  adventures  of  the  evening.  "The  Great  Ser 
pent  being  strongest,  pulled  the  hardest,  and  Hist  was 
forced  to  leave  us. ' ' 

"I  don't  think  there  was  much  pulling  about  it,"  an 
swered  the  other,  laughing,  always  in  his  silent  manner, 
with  as  much  heartiness  as  if  he  were  not  a  captive,  and 
in  danger  of  torture  or  death.  "I  don't  think  there  was 
much  pulling  about  it;  no,  I  don't.  Lord  help  you, 
Huron!  he  likes  the  gal,  and  the  gal  likes  him,  and  it 
surpassed  Huron  sarcumventions  to  keep  two  young  people 
apart  when  there  was  so  strong  a  feel  in'  to  bring  'em 
together. ' ' 

"And  Hawkeye  and  Chingachgook  came  into  our  camp 
on  this  errand  only?" 

"That's  a  question  that'll  answer  itself,  Mingo!  Yes, 
if  a  question  could  talk,  it  would  answer  itself  to  your 
perfect  satisfaction.  For  what  else  should  we  come?  And 
yet,  it  isn't  exactly  so,  neither;  for  we  didn't  come  into 
your  camp  at  all,  but  only  as  far  as  that  pine,  there,  that 
you  see  on  the  other  side  of  the  ridge,  where  we  stood 
watching  your  movements  and  conduct  as  long  as  we 
liked.  When  we  were  ready  the  Sarpent  gave  his  signal, 
and  then  all  went  just  as  it  should,  down  to  the  moment 
when  yonder  vagabond  leaped  upon  my  back.  Sartain  we 


THE   DEERSLAYER  293 

came  for  that,  and  no  other  purpose,  and  we  got  what  we 
came  for;  there's  no  use  in  pretending  otherwise.  Hist 
is  off  with  a  man  who's  the  next  thing  to  her  husband, 
and  come  what  will  to  me,  that's  one  good  thing  detar- 
mined." 

"What  sign  or  signal  told  the  young  maiden  that  her 
lover  was  nigh?"  asked  the  old  Huron,  with  more  curios 
ity  than  it  was  usual  for  him  to  betray. 

Deerslayer  laughed  again,  and  seemed  to  enjoy  the  suc 
cess  of  the  exploit  with  as  much  glee  as  if  he  had  not 
been  its  victim. 

"Your  squirrels  are  great  gadabouts,  Mingo!"  he 
cried,  still  laughing — "yes,  they're  sartainly  great  gada 
bouts!  When  other  folks'  squirrels  are  at  home  and 
asleep,  yourn  keep  in  motion  among  the  trees,  and  chirrup 
and  sing  in  a  way  that  even  a  Delaware  gal  can  under 
stand  their  music!  Well,  there's  four-legged  squirrels, 
and  there's  two-legged  squirrels,  and  give  me  the  last, 
when  there's  a  good  tight  string  atween  two  hearts.  If 
one  brings  'em  together,  t'other  tells  when  to  pull  the 
hardest. ' ' 

The  Huron  looked  vexed,  though  he  succeeded  in  sup 
pressing  any  violent  exhibition  of  resentment.  He  soon 
quitted  his  prisoner,  and  joining  the  rest  of  his  warriors, 
he  communicated  the  substance  of  what  he  had  learned. 
As  in  his  own  case  admiration  was  mingled  with  anger  at 
the  boldness  and  success  of  their  enemies.  Three  or  four 
of  them  ascended  the  little  acclivity  and  gazed  at  the  tree 
where  it  was  understood  the  adventurers  had  posted  them 
selves,  and  one  even  descended  and  examined  for  foot 
prints  around  its  roots,  in  order  to  make  sure  that  the 
statement  was  true.  The  result  confirmed  the  story  of 
the  captive,  and  they  all  returned  to  the  fire  with  in 
creased  wonder  and  respect.  The  messenger,  who  had 
arrived  v/ith  some  communication  from  the  party  above 
while  the  two  adventurers  were  watching  the  camp,  was 
now  dispatched  with  some  answer,  and  doubtless  bore 
with  him  the  intelligence  of  all  that  had  happened. 

Down  to  this  moment,  the  young  Indian  who  had  been 
seen  walking  in  company  with  Hist  and  another  female, 
had  made  no  advances  to  any  communication  with  Deer- 


300  THE   DEERSLAYER 

slayer.  He  had  held  himself  aloof  from  his  friends  even, 
passing  near  the  bevy  of  younger  women  who  were 
clustering  together,  apart  as  usual,  and  conversed  in  low 
tones  on  the  subject  of  the  escape  of  their  late  companion. 
Perhaps  it  would  be  true  to  say,  that  these  last  were 
pleased  as  well  as  vexed  at  what  had  just  occurred.  Their 
female  sympathies  were  with  the  lovers,  while  their  pride 
was  bound  up  in  the  success  of  their  tribe.  It  is  possible, 
too,  that  the  superior  personal  advantages  of  Hist  ren 
dered  her  dangerous  to  some  of  the  younger  part  of  the 
group,  and  they  were  not  sorry  to  find  she  was  no  longer 
in  the  way  of  their  own  ascendency.  On  the  whole,  how 
ever,  the  better  feeling  was  most  prevalent;  for  neither 
the  wild  condition  in  which  they  lived,  the  clannish 
prejudices  of  tribes,  nor  their  hard  fortunes  as  Indian 
women,  could  entirely  conquer  the  inextinguishable  lean 
ing  of  their  sex  to  the  affections.  One  of  the  girls  even 
laughed  at  the  disconsolate  look  of  the  swain  who  might 
fancy  himself  deserted,  a  circumstance  that  seemed  sud 
denly  to  arouse  his  energies,  and  induced  him  to  move 
towards  the  log  on  which  the  prisoner  was  still  seated, 
drying  his  clothes. 

"This  is  Catamount!"  said  the  Indian,  striking  his 
hand  boastfully  on  his  naked  breast  as  he  uttered  the 
words,  in  a  manner  to  show  how  much  weight  he  expected 
them  to  carry. 

"This  is  Hawkeye,"  quietly  returned  Deerslayer, 
adopting  the  name  by  which  he  knew  he  would  be  known 
in  future  among  all  the  tribes  of  the  Iroquois.  "My 
sight  is  keen;  is  my  brother's  leap  long?" 

"From  here  to  the  Delaware  villages.  Hawkeye  has 
stolen  my  wife;  he  must  bring  her  back,  or  his  scalp  will 
hang  on  a  pole  and  dry  in  my  wigwam. ' ' 

"Hawkeye  has  stolen  nothing,  Huron.  He  doesn't  come 
of  a  thieving  breed,  nor  has  he  thieving  gifts.  Your 
wife,  as  you  call  Wah-ta-Wah,  will  never  be  the  wife  of 
any  red-skin  of  the  Canadas;  her  mind  is  in  the  cabin  of 
a  Delaware,  and  her  body  has  gone  to  find  it.  The  cata 
mount  is  actyve,  I  know;  but  its  legs  can't  keep  pace 
with  a  woman's  wishes." 

"The  Serpent  of  the  Delawares  is  a  dog;  he  is  a  poor 


THE   DEERSLAYER  301 

bull-pout  that  keeps  in  the  water;  he  is  afraid  to  stand  on 
the  hard  earth  like  a  brave  Indian!" 

"Well,  well,  Huron,  that's  pretty  impudent,  consider 
ing  it's  not  an  hour  since  the  Sarpent  stood  within  a 
hundred  feet  of  you,  and  would  have  tried  the  toughness 
of  your  skin  with  a  rifle-bullet,  when  I  pointed  you  out  to 
him,  hadn't  I  laid  the  weight  of  a  little  judgment  on  his 
hand.  You  may  take  in  timersome  gals  in  the  settle 
ments  with  your  catamount  whine;  but  the  ears  of  a  man 
can  tell  truth  from  ontruth." 

"Hist  laughs  at  him!  She  sees  he  is  lame,  and  a  poor 
hunter,  and  he  has  never  been  on  a  war-path.  She  will 
take  a  man  for  a  husband,  and  not  a  fool." 

"How  do  you  know  that,  Catamount?  how  do  you  know 
that?"  returned  Deerslayer,  laughing.  "She  has  gone 
into  the  lake,  you  see,  and  maybe  she  prefers  a  trout  to  a 
mongrel  cat.  As  for  war-paths,  neither  the  Sarpent  nor 
I  have  much  exper'ence,  we  are  ready  to  own;  but  if  you 
don't  call  this  one,  you  must  tarm  it  what  the  gals  in  the 
settlements  tarm  it,  the  high  road  to  matrimony.  Take 
my  advice,  Catamount,  and  s'arch  for  a  wife  among  the 
Huron  women;  you'll  never  get  one  with  a  willing  mind 
from  among  the  Delawares. ' ' 

Catamount's  hand  felt  for  his  tomahawk,  and  when  the 
fingers  reached  the  handle  they  worked  convulsively,  as 
if  their  owner  hesitated  between  policy  and  resentment. 
At  this  critical  moment  Rivenoak  approached,  and,  by  a 
gesture  of  authority,  induced  the  young  man  to  retire, 
assuming  his  former  position,  himself,  on  the  log  at  the 
side  of  Deerslayer.  Here  he  continued  silent  for  a  little 
time,  maintaining  the  grave  reserve  of  an  Indian  chief. 

"Hawkeye  is  right,"  the  Iroquois  at  length  began; 
"his  sight  is  so  strong  that  he  can  see  truth  in  a  dark 
night,  and  our  eyes  have  been  blinded.  He  is  an  owl, 
darkness  hiding  nothing  from  him.  He  ought  not  to 
strike  his  friends.  He  is  right." 

"I'm  glad  you  think  so,  Mingo,"  returned  the  other, 
"for  a  traitor,  in  my  judgment,  is  worse  than  a  coward. 
I  care  as  little  for  the  Muskrat  as  one  pals  face  ought  to 
care  for  another;  but  I  care  too  much  for  him  to  ambush 
him  in  a  way  you  wished.  In  short,  according  to  my 


302  THE   DEERSLAYER 

idees,  any  sarcumvention,  except  open-war  sarcumven- 
tions,  are  agi'n  both  law,  and  what  we  whites  call  'gospel, ' 
too." 

"My  pale-face  brother  is  right;  he  is  no  Indian  to  for 
get  his  Manitou  and  his  color.  The  Hurons  know  that 
they  have  a  great  warrior  for  their  prisoner,  and  they 
will  treat  him  as  one.  If  he  is  to  be  tortured,  his  tor 
ments  shall  be  such  as  no  common  man  can  bear;  if  he  is 
to  be  treated  as  a  friend,  it  will  be  the  friendship  of 
chiefs." 

As  the  Huron  uttered  this  extraordinary  assurance  of 
consideration  his  eye  furtively  glanced  at  the  countenance 
of  his  listener,  in  order  to  discover  how  he  stood  the 
compliment;  though  his  gravity  and  apparent  sincerity 
would  have  prevented  any  man  but  one  practised  in  arti 
fices  from  detecting  his  motives.  Deerslayer  belonged  to 
the  class  of  the  unsuspicious;  and  acquainted  with  the 
Indian  notions  of  what  constituted  respect,  in  matters 
connected  with  the  treatment  of  captives,  he  felt  his 
blood  chill  at  the  announcement,  even  while  he  maintained 
an  aspect  so  steeled  that  his  quick-sighted  enemy  could 
discover  in  it  no  signs  of  weakness. 

"God  has  put  me  in  your  hands,  Huron,"  the  captive 
at  length  answered,  "and  I  suppose  you  will  act  your  will 
on  me.  I  shall  not  boast  of  what  I  can  do,  under  torment, 
for  I've  never  been  tried,  and  no  man  can  say  till  he  has 
been;  but  I'll  do  my  endivors  not  to  disgrace  the  people 
among  whom  I  got  my  training.  Hows'ever,  I  wish  you 
now  to  bear  witness,  that  I'm  altogether  of  white  blood, 
and,  in  a  nat'ral  way,  of  white  gifts,  too;  so,  should  I  be 
overcome  and  forget  myself,  I  hope  you'll  lay  the  fault 
where  it  properly  belongs;  and  in  no  manner  put  it  on 
the  Delawares,  or  their  allies  and  friends  the  Mohicans. 
We're  all  created  with  more  or  less  weakness,  and  I'm 
afeard  it's  a  pale-face's  to  give  in  under  great  bodily 
torment,  when  a  red-skin  will  sing  his  songs,  and  boast  of 
his  deeds  in  the  very  teeth  of  his  foes!" 

"We  shall  see.  Hawkeye  has  a  good  countenance,  and 
he  is  tough — but  why  should  he  be  tormented  when  the 
Hurons  love  him?  He  is  not  born  their  enemy;  and  the 
death  of  one  warrior  will  not  cast  a  cloud  between  them 
forever. ' ' 


THE   DEERSLAYER  303 

"So  much  the  better,  Huron;  so  much  the  better.  Still, 
I  don't  wish  to  owe  anything  to  a  mistake  about  each 
other's  meaning.  It  is  so  much  the  better  that  you  bear 
no  malice  for  the  loss  of  a  warrior  who  fell  in  war;  and 
yet  it  is  ontrue  that  there  is  no  inmity — lawful  inmity,  I 
mean,  atween  us.  So  far  as  I  have  red-skin  feelin's  at 
all,  I've  Delaware  feelins';  and  I  leave  you  to  judge  for 
yourself,  how  far  they  are  likely  to  be  fri'ndly  to  the 
Mingoes — 

Deerslayer  ceased,  for  a  sort  of  spectre  stood  before 
him  that  put  a  stop  to  his  words,  and  indeed,  caused  him 
for  a  moment  to  doubt  the  fidelity  of  his  boasted  vision. 
Hetty  Hutter  was  standing  at  the  side  of  the  fire,  as 
quietly  as  if  she  belonged  to  the  tribe. 

As  the  hunter  and  the  Indian  sat  watching  the  emotions 
that  were  betrayed  in  each  other's  countenance  the  girl 
had  approached  unnoticed,  doubtless  ascending  from  the 
beach  on  the  southern  side  of  the  point,  or  that  next  to 
the  spot  where  the  ark  had  anchored,  and  had  advanced 
to  the  fire  with  the  fearlessness  that  belonged  to  her  sim 
plicity,  and  which  was  certainly  justified  by  the  treatment 
formerly  received  from  the  Indians.  As  soon  as  Rivenoak 
perceived  the  girl  she  was  recognized,  and  calling  to  two 
or  three  of  the  younger  warriors,  the  chief  sent  them  out 
to  reconnoiter,  lest  her  appearance  should  be  the  fore 
runner  of  another  attack.  He  then  motioned  to  Hetty  to 
draw  near. 

"I  hope  your  visit  is  a  sign  that  the  Sarpent  and  Hist 
are  in  safety,  Hetty,"  said  Deerslayer,  as  soon  as  the  girl 
had  complied  with  the  Huron's  request.  "I  don't  think 
you'd  come  ashore  ag'in  on  the  arr'nd  that  brought  you 
here  afore. ' ' 

"Judith  told  me  to  come  this  time,  Deerslayer,"  Het 
ty  replied;  "she  paddled  me  ashore  herself,  in  a  canoe, 
as  soon  as  the  Serpent  had  shown  her  Hist,  and  told  his 
story.  How  handsome  Hist  is  to-night,  Deerslayer,  and 
how  much  happier  she  looks  than  when  she  was  with  the 
Hurons!" 

"That's  natur',  gal;  yes,  that  may  be  set  down  as 
human  natur'.  She's  with  her  betrothed,  and  no  longer 
fears  a  Mingo  husband.  In  my  judgment,  Judith  herself 


304  THE   DEERSLAYER 

would  lose  most  of  her  beauty  if  she  thought  she  was  to 
bestow  it  all  on  a  Mingo!  Content  is  a  great  fortifier 
of  good  looks;  and  I'll  warrant  you,  Hist  is  contented 
enough,  now  she  is  out  of  the  hands  of  these  miscreants 
and  with  her  chosen  warrior!  Did  you  say  that  your 
sister  told  you  to  come  ashore — why  should  Judith  do 
that?" 

"She  bid  me  come  to  see  you,  and  to  try  and  persuade 
the  savages  to  take  more  elephants  to  let  you  off;  but  I've 
brought  the  Bible  with  me — that  will  do  more  than  all 
the  elephants  in  father's  chest!" 

"And  your  father,  good  little  Hetty — and  Hurry;  did 
they  know  of  your  arr'nd?" 

"Nothing.  Both  are  asleep;  and  Judith  and  the  Ser 
pent  thought  it  best  they  should  not  be  woke,  lest  they 
might  want  to  come  again  after  scalps,  when  Hist  had 
told  them  how  few  warriors,  and  how  many  women  and 
children  there  were  in  the  camp.  Judith  would  give  me 
no  peace  till  I  had  come  ashore,  to  see  what  had  happened 
to  you." 

"Well,  that's  remarkable  as  consarns  Judith!  Why 
should  she  feel  so  much  unsartainty  about  me?  Ah,  I  see 
how  it  is  now;  yes,  I  see  into  the  whole  matter  now.  You 
must  understand,  Hetty,  that  your  sister  is  oneasy  lest 
Harry  March  should  wake,  and  come  blundering  here  into 
the  hands  of  the  inimy  ag'in,  under  some  idee  that,  being 
a  travelling  comrade,  he  ought  to  help  me  in  this  matter! 
Hurry  is  a  blunderer,  I  will  allow;  but  I  don't  think  he'd 
risk  as  much  for  my  sake  as  he  would  for  his  own." 

"Judith  don't  care  for  Hurry,  though  Hurry  cares  for 
her,"  replied  Hetty  innocently,  but  quite  positively. 

"I've  heard  you  say  as  much  as  that  afore;  yes,  I've 
heard  that  from  you  afore,  gal,  and  yet  it  isn't  true.  One 
don't  live  in  a  tribe,  not  to  see  something  of  the  way  in 
which  liking  works  in  a  woman's  heart.  Though  no  way 
given  to  marrying  myself,  I've  been  a  looker-on  among 
the  Delawares,  and  this  is  a  matter  in  which  pale  face 
and  red-skin  gifts  are  all  as  one  the  same.  When  the 
feelin'  begins,  the  young  woman  is  thoughtful,  and  has 
no  eyes  or  ears  onless  for  the  warrior  that  has  taken  her 
fancy;  then  follows  melancholy  and  sighing,  and  such  sort 


THE  DEERSLAYER  305 

of  actions;  after  which,  especially  if  matters  don't  come 
to  plain  discourse,  she  often  flies  round  to  backbiting  and 
fault-finding,  blaming  the  youth  for  the  very  things  she 
likes  best  in  him.  Some  young  creatur's  are  forward  in 
this  way  of  showing  their  love,  and  I'm  of  opinion  Judith 
is  one  of  'em.  Now,  I've  heard  her  as  much  as  deny  that 
Hurry  was  good-looking;  and  the  young  woman  who  could 
do  that,  must  be  far  gone  indeed." 

"The  young  woman  who  liked  Hurry  would  own  that 
he  is  handsome.  I  think  Hurry  very  handsome,  Deer- 
slayer,  and  I'm  sure  everybody  must  think  so  that  has 
eyes.  Judith  don't  like  Harry  March,  and  that's  the 
reason  she  finds  fault  with  him." 

"Well — well — my  good  little  Hetty,  have  it  your  own 
way.  If  we  should  talk  from  now  till  winter,  each  would 
think  as  at  present;  and  there's  no  use  in  words.  I  must 
believe  that  Judith  is  much  wrapped  up  in  Hurry,  and 
that  sooner  or  later  she'll  have  him;  and  this,  too,  all  the 
more  from  the  manner  in  which  she  abuses  him;  and  I 
dare  to  say,  you  think  just  the  contrary.  But  mind  what 
I  now  tell  you,  gal,  and  pretend  not  to  know  it,"  contin 
ued  this  being,  who  was  so  obtuse  on  a  point  on  which 
men  are  usually  quick  enough  to  make  discoveries,  and 
so  acute  in  matters  that  would  baffle  the  observation  of 
much  the  greater  portion  of  mankind;  "I  see  how  it  is 
with  them  vagabonds.  Rivenoak  has  left  us,  you  see,  and 
is  talking  yonder  with  his  young  men;  and  though  too  far 
to  be  heard,  I  can  see  what  he  is  telling  them.  Their 
orders  is  to  watch  your  movements,  and  to  find  where  the 
canoe  is  to  meet  you,  to  take  you  back  to  the  ark,  and 
then  to  seize  all  and  what  they  can.  I'm  sorry  Judith 
sent  you,  for  I  suppose  she  wants  you  to  go  back  ag'in. " 

"All  that's  settled,  Deerslayer, "  returned  the  girl  in  a 
low,  confidential,  and  meaning  manner;  "and  you  may 
trust  me  to  outwit,  the  best  Indian  of  them  all.  I  know 
I  am  feeble-minded,  but  I've  got  some  sense,  and  you'll 
see  how  I'll  use  it  in  getting  back,  when  my  errand  is 
done!" 

"Ah's  me!  poor  girl;  I'm  afeard  all  that's  easier  said 
than  done.  They're  a  venomous  set  of  riptyles,  and  their 
p'ison's  none  the  milder  for  the  loss  of  Hist.  Well,  I'm 
20 


306  THE   DEERSLAYER 

glad  the  Sarpent  was  the  one  to  get  off  with  the  gal; 
for  now  there'll  be  two  happy,  at  least;  whereas  had  he 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Mingoes,  there'd  be  two 
miserable,  and  another  far  from  feelin'  as  a  man  likes  to 
feel." 

"Now  you  put  me  in  mind  of  a  part  of  my  errand,  that 
I  had  almost  forgotten,  Deerslayer.  Judith  told  me  to  ask 
you  what  you  thought  the  Hurons  would  do  with  you  if 
you  couldn't  be  bought  off,  and  what  she  had  best  do  to 
serve  you.  Yes,  this  was  the  most  important  part  of  the 
errand — what  she  had  best  do  in  order  to  serve  you." 

"That's  as  you  think,  Hetty;  but  it's  no  matter.  Young 
women  are  apt  to  lay  most  stress  on  what  most  touches 
their  feelin's;  but  no  matter;  have  it  your  own  way,  so 
you  be  but  careful  not  to  let  the  vagabonds  get  the  mas 
tery  of  a  canoe.  When  you  get  back  to  the  ark,  tell  'em 
to  keep  close,  and  to  keep  moving,  too,  most  especially  at 
night.  Many  hours  can't  go  by  without  the  troops  on  the 
river  hearing  of  this  party,  and  then  your  fri'nds  may 
look  for  relief.  'Tis  but  a  day's  march  from  the  nearest 
garrison,  and  true  soldiers  will  never  lie  idle  with  the  foe 
in  their  neighborhood.  This  is  my  advice,  and  you  must 
say  to  your  father  and  Hurry  that  scalp-hunting  will  be  a 
poor  business  now,  as  the  Mingoes  are  up  and  awake,  and 
nothing  can  save  'em  'till  the  troops  come,  except  keep 
ing  a  good  belt  of  water  atween  'em  and  the  savages." 

"What  shall  I  tell  Judith  about  you,  Deerslayer?  I 
know  she  will  send  me  back  again,  if  I  don't  bring  her 
the  truth  about  you. ' ' 

"Then  tell  her  the  truth.  I  see  no  reason  Judith  Hutter 
shouldn't  hear  the  truth  about  me  as  well  as  a  lie.  I'm  a 
captyve  in  Indian  hands,  and  Providence  only  knows  what 
will  come  of  it!  Harkee,  Hetty,"  dropping  his  voice  and 
speaking  still  more  confidentially,  "you  are  a  little  weak 
minded  it  must  be  allowed,  but  you  know  something  of 
Injins.  Here  I  am  in  their  hands,  after  having  slain  one 
of  their  stoutest  warriors,  and  they've  been  endivoring  to 
work  upon  me,  through  fear  of  consequences,  to  betray 
your  father  and  all  in  the  ark.  I  understand  the  black 
guards  as  well  as  if  they  told  it  all  out  plainly  with  their 
tongues.  They  hold  up  avarice  afore  me  on  one  side,  and 


THE   DEEKSLAYER  307 

fear  on  t'other,  and  think  honesty  will  give  way  atween 
'em  both.  But  let  your  father  and  Hurry  know  'tis  all 
useless;  as  for  the  Sarpent,  he  knows  it  already." 

"But  what  shall  I  tell  Judith?  She  will  certainly  send 
me  back  if  I  don't  satisfy  her  mind." 

"Well,  tell  Judith  the  same.  No  doubt  the  savages 
will  try  the  torments  to  make  me  give  in,  and  to  revenge 
the  loss  of  their  warrior,  but  I  must  hold  out  ag'in  nat'ral 
weakness  in  the  best  manner  I  can.  You  may  tell  Judith 
to  feel  no  consarn  on  my  account — it  will  come  hard,  I 
know,  seeing  that  a  white  man's  gifts  don't  run  to  boast 
ing  and  singing  under  torment,  for  he  generally  feels 
smallest  when  he  suffers  most — but  you  may  tell  her  not 
to  have  any  consarn.  I  think  I  shall  make  out  to  stand  it; 
and  she  may  rely  on  this,  let  me  give  in  as  much  as  I  may, 
and  prove  completely  that  I  am  white,  by  waitings,  and 
bowlings,  and  even  tears,  yet  I'll  never  fall  so  far  as  to 
betray  my  fri'nds.  When  it  gets  to  burning  holes  in  the 
flesh  with  heated  ramrods,  and  to  hacking  the  body,  and 
tearing  the  hair  out  by  the  roots,  natur'  may  get  the 
upper  hand,  so  far  as  groans  and  complaints  are  con- 
sarned,  but  there  the  triumph  of  the  vagabonds  will  ind; 
nothing  short  of  God's  abandoning  him  to  the  devils,  can 
make  an  honest  man  ontrue  to  his  color  and  duty." 

Hetty  listened  with  great  attention,  and  her  mild  but 
speaking  countenance  manifested  a  strong  sympathy  in 
the  anticipated  agony  of  the  suppositious  sufferer.  At 
first  she  seemed  at  a  loss  how  to  act;  then,  taking  a  hand 
of  Deerslayer's,  she  affectionately  recommended  to  him 
to  borrow  her  Bible,  and  to  read  it  while  the  savages 
were  inflicting  their  torments.  When  the  other  honestly 
admitted  that  it  exceeded  his  power  to  read,  she  even 
volunteered  to  remain  with  him,  and  to  perform  this  holy 
office  in  person.  The  offer  was  gently  declined,  and  Riv- 
enoak  being  about  to  join  them,  Deerslayer  requested  the 
girl  to  leave  him,  first  enjoining  her  again  to  tell  those  in 
the  ark  to  have  full  confidence  in  his  fidelity.  Hetty 
now  walked  away,  and  approached  the  group  of  females 
with  as  much  confidence  and  self-possession  as  if  she  were 
a  native  of  the  tribe.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Huron 
resumed  his  seat  by  the  side  of  his  prisoner,  the  one  con- 


308  THE   DEERSLAYER 

tinuing  to  ask  questions  with  all  the  wily  ingenuity  of  a 
practised  Indian  counselor,  and  the  other  baffling  him  by 
the  very  means  that  are  known  to  be  the  most  efficacious 
in  defeating  the  finesse  of  the  more  pretending  diplomacy 
of  civilization,  or  by  confining  his  answers  to  the  truth, 
and  the  truth  only. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

"  Thus  died  she  ;  never  more  on  her 
Shall  sorrow  light,  or  shame.    She  was  not  made 
Through  years  or  moons  the  inner  weight  to  bear 
Which  colder  hearts  endure  till  they  are  laid 
By  age  in  earth  ;  her  days  and  pleasures  were 
Brief  but  delightful— such  as  had  not  stayed 
Long  with  her  destiny ;  but  she  sleeps  well 
By  the  sea-shore  whereon  she  loved  to  dwell." 

—BYRON. 

THE  young  men  who  had  been  sent  out  to  reconnoitre, 
on  the  sudden  appearance  of  Hetty,  soon  returned  to  re 
port  their  want  of  success  in  making  any  discovery.  One 
of  them  had  even  been  along  the  beach  as  far  as  the  spot 
opposite  to  the  ark,  but  the  darkness  completely  concealed 
that  vessel  from  his  notice.  Others  had  examined  in  dif 
ferent  directions,  and  everywhere  the  stillness  of  night 
was  added  to  the  silence  and  solitude  of  the  woods.  It 
was  consequently  believed  that  the  girl  had  come  alone, 
as  on  her  former  visit,  and  on  some  similar  errand.  The 
Iroquois  were  ignorant  that  the  ark  had  left  the  castle, 
and  there  were  movements  projected,  if  not  in  the  course 
of  actual  execution  by  this  time,  which  also  greatly  added 
to  the  sense  of  security.  A  watch  was  set,  therefore, 
and  all  but  the  sentinels  disposed  themselves  to  sleep. 

Sufficient  care  was  had  to  the  safe  keeping  of  the  cap 
tive  without  inflicting  on  him  any  unnecessary  suffering; 
and  as  for  Hetty,  she  was  permitted  to  find  a  place  among 
the  Indian  girls,  in  the  best  manner  she  could.  She  did 
not  find  the  friendly  offices  of  Hist,  though  her  character 
not  only  bestowed  impunity  from  pain  and  captivity,  but 
it  procured  for  her  a  consideration  and  an  attention  that 
placed  her,  on  the  score  of  comfort,  quite  on  a  level  with 
the  wild  but  gentle  beings  around  her.  She  was  supplied 
with  a  skin,  and  made  her  own  bed  on  a  pile  of  boughs  a 
little  apart  from  the  huts.  Here  she  was  soon  in  a  pro 
found  sleep,  like  all  around  her. 

There  were  now  thirteen  men  in  the  party,  and  three 

309 


310  THE   DEERSLAYER 

kept  watch  at  a  time.  One  remained  in  shadow,  not  far 
from  the  fire,  however.  His  duty  was  to  guard  the  cap 
tive,  to  take  care  that  the  fire  neither  blazed  up  so  as 
to  illuminate  the  spot,  nor  yet  became  wholly  extin 
guished;  and  to  keep  an  eye  generally  on  the  state  of  the 
camp.  Another  passed  from  one  beach  to  the  other, 
crossing  the  base  of  the  point;  while  the  third  kept  mov 
ing  slowly  around  the  strand  on  its  outer  extremity,  to 
prevent  a  repetition  of  the  surprise  that  had  already 
taken  place  that  night.  This  arrangement  was  far  from 
being  usual  among  savages,  who  ordinarily  rely  more  on 
the  secrecy  of  their  movements  than  on  vigilance  of  this 
nature;  but  it  had  been  called  for  by  the  peculiarity  of 
the  circumstances  in  which  the  Hurons  were  now  placed. 
Their  position  was  known  to  the  foes,  and  it  could  not 
easily  be  changed  at  an  hour  which  demanded  rest.  Per 
haps,  too,  they  placed  most  of  their  confidence  on  the 
knowledge  of  what  they  believed  to  be  passing  higher  up 
the  lake,  and  which,  it  was  thought,  would  fully  occupy 
the  whole  of  the  pale  faces,  who  were  at  liberty,  with 
their  solitary  Indian  ally.  It  was  also  probable,  Rivenoak 
was  aware,  that,  in  holding  his  captive,  he  had  in  his 
own  hands  the  most  dangerous  of  all  his  enemies. 

The  precision  with  those  accustomed  to  watchfulness, 
or  lives  of  disturbed  rest,  sleep,  is  not  the  least  of  the 
phenomena  of  our  mysterious  being.  The  head  is  no 
sooner  on  the  pillow  than  consciousness  is  lost;  and  yet, 
at  a  necessary  hour  the  mind  appears  to  arouse  the  body 
as  promptly  as  if  it  had  stood  sentinel  over  it  the  while. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  who  are  thus  roused 
awake  by  the  influence  of  thought  over  matter,  though 
the  mode  in  which  this  influence  is  exercised  must  remain 
hidden  from  our  curiosity  until  it  shall  be  explained, 
should  that  hour  ever  arrive,  by  the  entire  enlightenment 
of  the  soul  on  the  subject  of  all  human  mysteries.  Thus  it 
was  with  Hetty  Hutter.  Feeble  as  the  immaterial  portion 
of  her  existence  was  thought  to  be,  it  was  sufficiently 
active  to  cause  her  to  open  her  eyes  at  midnight.  At  that 
hour  she  awoke,  and  leaving  her  bed  of  skin  and  boughs, 
she  walked  innocently  and  openly  to  the  embers  of  the 
fire,  stirring  the  latter,  as  the  coolness  of  the  night  and 


THE   DEERSLAYER  311 

the  woods,  in  connection  with  an  exceedingly  unsophisti 
cated  bed,  had  a  little  chilled  her.  As  the  flame  shot  up, 
it  lighted  the  swarthy  countenance  of  the  Huron  on  watch 
whose  dark  eyes  glistened  under  its  light,  like  the  balls 
of  a  panther  that  is  pursued  to  his  den  with  burning 
brands.  But  Hetty  felt  no  fear,  and  she  approached  the 
spot  where  the  Indian  stood.  Her  movements  were  so 
natural,  and  so  perfectly  devoid  of  any  of  the  stealthiness 
of  cunning  or  deception,  that  he  imagined  she  had  merely 
arisen  on  account  of  the  coolness  of  the  night,  a  common 
occurrence  in  a  bivouac,  and  the  one  of  all  others,  perhaps 
the  least  likely  to  excite  suspicion.  Hetty  spoke  to  him, 
but  he  understood  no  English.  She  then  gazed  near  a 
minute  at  the  sleeping  captive,  and  moved  slowly  away  in. 
a  sad  and  melancholy  manner. 

The  girl  took  no  pains  to  conceal  her  movements.  Any 
ingenious  expedient  of  this  nature,  quite  likely,  exceeded 
her  powers;  still  her  step  was  habitually  light,  and 
scarcely  audible.  As  she  took  the  direction  of  the  ex 
tremity  of  the  point,  or  the  place  where  she  had  landed 
in  the  first  adventure,  and  where  Hist  had  embarked,  the 
sentinel  saw  her  light  form  gradually  disappear  in  the 
gloom  without  uneasiness  or  changing  his  own  position. 
He  knew  that  others  were  on  the  lookout,  and  he  did  not 
believe  that  one  who  had  twice  come  into  the  camp  volun 
tarily,  and  had  already  left  it  openly,  would  take  refuge 
in  flight.  In  short,  the  conduct  of  the  girl  excited  no 
more  attention  than  that  of  any  person  of  feeble  intellect 
would  excite  in  civilized  society,  while  her  person  met 
with  more  consideration  and  respect. 

Hetty  certainly  had  no  very  distinct  notions  of  the  lo 
calities,  but  she  found  her  way  to  the  beach,  which  she 
reached  on  the  same  side  of  the  point  as  that  on  which  the 
camp  had  been  made.  By  following  the  margin  of  the 
water,  taking  a  northern  direction,  she  soon  encountered 
the  Indian  who  paced  the  strand  as  sentinel.  This  was  a 
young  warrior,  and  when  he  heard  her  light  tread  coming 
along  the  gravel  he  approached  swiftly,  though  with  any 
thing  but  menace  in  his  manner.  The  darkness  was  so 
intense  that  it  was  not  easy  to  discover  forms,  within  the 
shadows  of  the  woods,  at  the  distance  of  twenty  feet,  and 


312  THE   DEERSLAYER 

quite  impossible  to  distinguish  persons  until  near  enough 
to  touch  them.  The  young  Huron  manifested  disappoint 
ment  when  he  found  whom  he  had  met ;  for,  truth  to  say, 
he  was  expecting  his  favorite,  who  had  promised  to  re 
lieve  the  ennui  of  a  midnight  watch  with  her  presence. 
This  man  was  also  ignorant  of  English,  but  he  was  at  no 
loss  to  understand  why  the  girl  should  be  up  at  that  hour. 
Such  things  were  usual  in  an  Indian  village  and  camp, 
where  sleep  is  as  irregular  as  the  meals.  Then  poor 
Hetty's  known  imbecility,  as  in  most  things  connected 
with  the  savages,  stood  her  friend  on  this  occasion. 
Vexed  at  his  disappointment,  and  impatient  of  the  pres 
ence  of  one  he  thought  an  intruder,  the  young  warrior 
signed  for  the  girl  to  move  forward,  holding  the  direction 
of  the  beach.  Hetty  complied;  but,  as  she  walked  away, 
she  spoke  aloud  in  English,  in  her  usual  soft  tones,  which 
the  stillness  of  the  night  made  audible  at  some  little 
distance. 

"If  you  took  me  for  a  Huron  girl,  warrior,"  she  said, 
"I  don't  wonder  you  are  so  little  pleased.  I  am  Hetty 
Hutter,  Thomas  Hutter 's  daughter,  and  have  never  met 
any  man  at  night,  for  mother  always  said  it  was  wrong, 
and  modest  young  women  should  never  do  it;  modest 
young  women  of  the  pale  faces,  I  mean;  for  customs  are 
different  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  I  know.  No,  no, 
I'm  Hetty  Hutter,  and  wouldn't  meet  even  Hurry  Harry, 
though  he  should  fall  down  on  his  knees  and  ask  me! 
mother  said  it  was  wrong." 

By  the  time  Hetty  had  said  this,  she  reached  the  place 
where  the  canoes  had  come  ashore,  and,  owing  to  the 
curvature  of  the  land  and  the  bushes,  would  have  been 
completely  hid  from  the  sight  of  the  sentinel,  had  it  been 
broad  day.  But  another  footstep  caught  the  lover's  ear, 
and  he  was  already  nearly  beyond  the  sound  of  the  girl's 
silvery  voice.  Still  Hetty,  bent  only  on  her  own  thoughts 
and  purposes,  continued  to  speak,  though  the  gentleness 
of  her  tones  prevented  the  sounds  from  penetrating  far 
into  the  woods.  On  the  water  they  were  more  widely 
diffused. 

"Here  I  am,  Judith,"  she  added,  "and  there  is  no  one 
near  me.  The  Huron  on  watch  has  gone  to  meet  his 


THE    DEERSLAYER  313 

sweetheart,  who  is  an  Indian  girl,  you  know,  and  never 
had  a  Christian  mother  to  tell  her  how  wrong  it  is  to 
meet  a  man  at  nigh  - 

Hetty's  voice  was  hushed  by  a  "Hist!"  that  came  from 
the  water,  and  then  she  caught  a  dim  view  of  the  canoe, 
which  approached  noiselessly,  and  soon  grated  on  the 
shingle  with  its  bow.  The  moment  the  weight  of  Hetty 
was  felt  in  the  light  craft,  the  canoe  withdrew,  stern 
foremost,  as  if  possessed  of  life  and  volition,  until  it  was 
a  hundred  yards  from  the  shore.  Then  it  turned,  and 
making  a  wide  sweep,  as  much  to  prolong  the  passage  as 
to  get  beyond  the  sound  of  voices,  it  held  its  way  towards 
the  ark.  For  several  minutes  nothing  was  uttered ;  but, 
believing  herself  to  be  in  a  favorable  position  to  confer 
with  her  sister,  Judith,  who  alone  sat  in  the  stern,  man 
aging  the  canoe  with  a  skill  little  short  of  that  of  a  man, 
began  a  discourse  which  she  had  been  burning  to  com 
mence  ever  since  they  quitted  the  point. 

"Here  we  are  safe,  Hetty,"  she  said,  "and  may  talk 
without  the  fear  of  being  overheard.  You  must  speak 
low,  however,  for  the  sounds  are  heard  far  on  the  water 
in  a  still  night.  I  was  so  close  to  the  point,  some  of  the 
time,  while  you  were  on  it,  that  I  have  heard  the  voices 
of  the  warriors,  and  I  heard  your  shoes  on  the  gravel  of 
the  beach,  even  before  you  spoke. ' ' 

"I  don't  believe,  Judith,  the  Hurons  know  I  have  left 
them." 

"Quite  likely  they  do  not,  for  a  lover  makes  a  poor 
sentry,  unless  it  be  to  watch  for  his  sweetheart.  But  tell 
me,  Hetty,  did  you  see  and  speak  with  Deerslayer?" 

"Oh,  yes,  there  he  was  seated  near  the  fire,  with  his  legs 
tied,  though  they  left  his  arms  free  to  move  them  as  he 
pleased." 

"Well,  what  did  he  tell  you,  child?  Speak  quick;  I  am 
dying  to  know  what  message  he  sent  me." 

"What  did  he  tell  me?  why,  what  do  you  think,  Judith? 
he  told  me  that  he  couldn't  read!  Only  think  of  that!  a 
white  man,  and  not  know  how  to  read  his  Bible,  even! 
He  never  could  have  had  a  mother,  sister!" 

"Never  mind  that,  Hetty.  All  men  can't  read,  though 
mother  knew  so  much,  and  taught  us  so  much;  father 


314  THE   DEERSLAYER 

knows  very  little  about  books,  and  he  can  barely  read  the 
Bible,  you  know." 

"Oh!  I  never  thought  fathers  could  read  much,  but 
mothers  ought  all  to  read,  else  how  can  they  teach  their 
children?  Depend  on  it,  Judith,  Deerslayer  could  never 
have  had  a  mother,  else  he  would  know  how  to  read." 

"Did  you  tell  him  I  sent  you  ashore,  Hetty,  and  how 
much  concern  I  feel  for  his  misfortune?"  asked  the  other, 
impatiently. 

"I  believe  I  did,  Judith;  but  you  know  I  am  feeble 
minded,  and  I  may  have  forgotten.  I  did  tell  him  you 
brought  me  ashore  And  he  told  me  a  great  deal  that  I 
was  to  say  to  you,  which  I  remember  well,  for  it  made 
my  blood  run  cold  to  hear  him.  He  told  me  to  say  that 
his  friends — I  suppose  you  are  one  of  them,  sister?— 

"Kow  can  you  torment  me  thus,  Hetty!  Certainly,  I 
am  one  of  the  truest  friends  he  has  on  earth." 

"Torment  you!  yes,  now  I  remember  all  about  it.  I 
am  glad  you  used  that  word,  Judith,  for  it  brings  it  all 
back  to  my  mind.  Well,  he  said  he  might  be  tormented 
by  the  savages,  but  he  would  try  to  bear  it  as  becomes  a 
Christian  white  man,  and  that  no  one  need  be  afeard — 
why  does  Deerslayer  call  it  afeard,  when  mother  always 
taught  us  to  say  afraid?" 

"Never  mind,  dear  Hetty,  never  mind  that  now!" 
cried  the  other,  almost  gasping  for  breath.  "Did  Deer- 
slayer  really  tell  you  that  he  thought  the  savages  would 
put  him  to  the  torture?  Recollect  now,  well,  Hetty,  for 
this  is  a  most  awful  and  serious  thing." 

"Yes,  he  did;  and  I  remember  it  by  your  speaking 
about  my  tormenting  you.  Oh !  I  felt  very  sorry  for  him, 
and  Deerslayer  took  all  so  quietly  and  without  noise! 
Deerslayer  is  not  as  handsome  as  Hurry  Harry,  Judith, 
but  he  is  more  quiet." 

"He's  worth  a  million  Hurrys!  yes,  he's  worth  all  the 
young  men  who  ever  came  upon  the  lake  put  together, ' ' 
said  Judith,  with  an  energy  and  positiveness  that  caused 
her  sister  to  wonder.  "He  is  true.  There  is  no  lie  about 
Deerslayer.  You,  Hetty,  may  not  know  what  a  merit 
it  is  in  a  man  to  have  truth,  but  when  you  get — no — I 
hope  you  will  never  know  it.  Why  should  one  like  you 


THE   DEERSLAYER  315 

be  ever  made  to  learn  the  hard  lesson  to  distrust  and 
hate!" 

Judith  bowed  her  face,  dark  as  it  was,  and  unseen  as 
she  must  have  been,  by  any  eye  but  that  of  Omniscience, 
between  her  hands,  and  groaned.  This  sudden  paroxysm 
of  feeling,  however,  lasted  but  for  a  moment,  and  she 
continued  more  calmly,  still  speaking  frankly  to  her  sis 
ter,  whose  intelligence  and  whose  discretion  in  anything 
that  related  to  herself,  she  did  not  in  the  least  distrust. 
Her  voice,  however,  was  low  and  husky,  instead  of  having 
its  former  clearness  and  animation. 

"It  is  a  hard  thing  to  fear  truth,  Hetty,"  she  said; 
"and  yet  do  I  more  dread  Deerslayer's  truth,  than  any 
enemy!  One  cannot  tamper  with  such  truth — so  much 
honesty — such  obstinate  uprightness!  But  we  are  not 
altogether  unequal,  sister — Deerslayer  and  I?  He  is  not 
altogether  my  superior?" 

It  was  not  usual  for  Judith  so  far  to  demean  herself  as 
to  appeal  to  Hetty's  judgment.  Nor  did  she  often  address 
her  by  the  title  of  sister,  a  distinction  that  is  commonly 
given  by  the  junior  to  the  senior,  even  where  there  is  a 
perfect  equality  in  all  other  respects.  As  trifling  depart 
ures  from  habitual  deportment  oftener  strike  the  imagi 
nation  than  more  important  changes,  Hetty  perceived  the 
circumstances,  and  wondered  at  them  in  her  own  simple 
way. 

Her  ambition  was  a  little  quickened,  and  the  answer 
was  as  much  out  of  the  usual  course  of  things  as  the 
question;  the  poor  girl  attempting  to  refine  beyond  her 
strength. 

"Superior,  Judith!"  she  repeated  with  pride.  "In 
what  can  Deerslayer  be  your  superior?  Are  you  not 
mother's  child — and  does  he  know  how  to  read— and 
wasn't  mother  before  any  woman  in  all  this  part  of  the 
world?  I  should  think,  so  far  from  supposing  himself 
your  superior,  he  would  hardly  believe  himseK  mine. 
You  are  handsome,  and  he  is  ugly — 

"No,  not  ugly,  Hetty,"  interrupted  Judith.  "Only 
plain.  But  his  honest  face  has  a  look  in  it  that  is  far 
better  than  beauty.  In  my  eyes  Deerslayer  is  handsomer 
than  Hurry  Harry. ' ' 


316  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Judith  Hutter!  you  frighten  me.  Hurry  is  the  hand 
somest  mortal  in  the  world — even  handsomer  than  you 
are  yourself;  because  a  man's  good  looks,  you  know,  are 
always  better  than  a  woman's  good  looks." 

This  little  innocent  touch  of  natural  taste  did  not  please 
the  elder  sister  at  the  moment,  and  she  did  not  scruple  to 
betray  it. 

"Hetty,  you  now  speak  foolishly,  and  had  better  say 
no  more  on  this  subject,"  she  answered.  "Hurry  is  not 
the  handsomest  mortal  in  the  world,  by  many;  and  there 
are  officers  in  the  garrisons' ' — Judith  stammered  at  the 
words — "there  are  officers  in  the  garrisons  near  us,  far 
comelier  than  he.  But  why  do  you  think  me  the  equal  of 
Deerslayer?  speak  of  that,  for  I  do  not  like  to  hear  you 
show  so  much  admiration  of  a  man  like  Hurry  Harry, 
who  has  neither  feelings,  manners,  nor  conscience.  You 
are  too  good  for  him,  and  he  ought  to  be  told  it  at  once." 

"I!  Judith,  how  you  forget!  Why,  I  am  not  beautiful, 
and  am  feeble-minded." 

"You  are  good,  Hetty,  and  that  is  more  than  can  be 
said  of  Henry  March.  He  may  have  a  face,  and  a  body, 
but  he  has  no  heart.  But  enough  of  this,  for  the  present. 
Tell  me  what  raises  me  to  an  equality  with  Deerslayer." 

"To  think  of  you  asking  me  this,  Judith!  He  can't 
read,  and  you  can.  He  don't  know  how  to  talk,  but 
speaks  worse  than  Hurry  even;  for,  sister,  Harry  doesn't 
always  pronounce  his  words  right!  Did  you  ever  notice 
that?" 

"Certainly,  he  is  as  coarse  in  speech  as  in  everything 
else.  But  I  fear  you  flatter  me,  Hetty,  when  you  think  I 
can  be  justly  called  the  equal  of  a  man  like  Deerslayer. 
It  is  true,  I  have  been  better  taught;  in  one  sense  am 
more  comely,  and  perhaps  might  look  higher;  but  then  his 
truth — his  truth — makes  a  fearful  difference  between  us! 
Well,  I  will  talk  no  more  of  this;  and  we  will  bethink  us 
of  the  means  of  getting  him  out  of  the  hands  of  the 
Hurons.  We  have  father's  chest  in  the  ark,  Hetty,  and 
might  try  the  temptation  of  more  elephants;  though  I 
fear  such  baubles  will  not  buy  the  liberty  of  a  man  like 
Deerslayer.  I  am  afraid  father  and  Hurry  will  not  be  as 
willing  to  ransom  Deerslayer,  as  Deerslayer  was  to  ransom 
them!" 


THE   DEERSLAYER  317 

"Why  not,  Judith?  Hurry  and  Deerslayer  are  friends, 
and  friends  should  always  help  one  another. ' ' 

"Alas!  poor  Hetty,  you  little  know  mankind!  Seeming 
friends  are  often  more  to  be  dreaded  than  open  enemies; 
particularly  by  females.  But  you'll  have  to  land  in  the 
morning,  and  try  again  what  can  be  done  for  Deerslayer. 
Tortured  he  shall  not  be,  while  Judith  Hutter  lives,  and 
can  find  means  to  prevent  it." 

The  conversation  now  grew  desultory,  and  was  drawn 
out,  until  the  elder  sister  had  extracted  from  the  younger 
every  fact  the  feeble  faculties  of  the  latter  permitted  her  to 
retain,  and  to  communicate.  When  Judith  was  satisfied — 
though  she  could  never  be  said  to  be  satisfied,  whose  feel 
ings  seemed  to  be  interwoven  with  all  that  related  to  the 
subject,  as  to  have  excited  a  nearly  inappeasable  curios 
ity — but,  when  Judith  could  think  of  no  more  questions  to 
ask,  without  resorting  to  repetition,  the  canoe  was  pad 
dled  towards  the  scow.  The  intense  darkness  of  the  night, 
and  the  deep  shadows  which  the  hills  and  forest  cast  upon 
the  water,  rendered  it  difficult  to  find  the  vessel,  an 
chored,  as  it  had  been,  as  close  to  the  shore  as  a  regard  to 
safety  rendered  prudent.  Judith  was  expert  in  the  man 
agement  of  a  bark  canoe,  the  lightness  of  which  demanded 
skill  rather  than  strength;  and  she  forced  her  own  little 
vessel  swiftly  over  the  water,  the  moment  she  had  ended 
her  conference  with  Hetty,  and  had  come  to  the  determina 
tion  to  return.  Still  no  ark  was  seen.  Several  times  the 
sisters  fancied  they  saw  it  looming  up  in  the  obscurity, 
like  a  low  black  rock,  but  on  each  occasion  it  was  found 
to  be  either  an  optical  illusion  or  somes  well  of  the  foli 
age  on  the  shore.  After  a  search  that  lasted  half  an 
hour,  the  girls  were  forced  to  the  unwelcome  conviction 
that  the  ark  had  departed. 

Most  young  women  would  have  felt  the  awkwardness  of 
their  situation,  in  a  physical  sense,  under  the  circum 
stances  in  which  the  sisters  were  left,  more  than  any 
apprehension  of  a  different  nature.  Not  so  with  Judith, 
however;  and  even  Hetty  felt  more  concern  about  the 
motives  that  might  have  influenced  her  father  and  Hurry, 
than  any  fears  for  her  own  safety. 

"It  cannot  be,  Hetty,"  said  Judith,  when  a  thorough 


318  THE  DEERSLAYER 

search  had  satisfied  them  both  that  no  ark  was  to  be 
found,  "it  cannot  be  that  the  Indians  have  rafted,  or 
swum  off,  and  surprised  our  friends  as  they  slept?" 

"I  don't  believe  that  Hist  and  Chingachgook  would 
sleep  until  they  had  told  each  other  all  they  had  to  say 
after  so  long  a  separation — do  you,  sister?" 

"Perhaps  not,  child.  There  was  much  to  keep  them 
awake,  but  one  Indian  may  have  been  surprised  even 
when  not  asleep,  especially  as  his  thoughts  may  have  been 
on  other  things.  Still  we  should  have  heard  a  noise;  for 
in  a  night  like  this,  an  oath  of  Hurry  Harry's  would  have 
echoed  in  the  eastern  hills  like  a  clap  of  thunder." 

"Hurry  is  sinful  and  thoughtless  about  his  words, 
Judith,"  Hetty  meekly  and  sorrowfully  answered. 

"No — no;  'tis  impossible  the  ark  could  be  taken  and  I 
not  hear  the  noise.  It  is  not  an  hour  since  I  left  it,  and 
the  whole  time  I  have  been  attentive  to  the  smallest 
sound.  And  yet,  it  is  not  easy  to  believe  a  father  would 
willingly  abandon  his  children!" 

"Perhaps  father  has  thought  us  in  our  cabin  asleep, 
Judith,  and  has  moved  away  to  go  home.  You  know  we 
often  move  the  ark  in  the  night." 

"This  is  true,  Hetty,  and  it  must  be  as  you  suppose. 
There  is  a  little  more  southern  air  than  there  was,  and 
they  have  gone  up  the  lake — 

Judith  stopped,  for,  as  the  last  word  was  on  her  tongue, 
the  scene  was  suddenly  lighted  though  only  for  a  single 
instant,  by  a  flash.  The  crack  of  a  rifle  succeeded,  and 
then  followed  the  roll  of  the  echo  along  the  eastern 
mountains.  Almost  at  the  same  moment  a  piercing 
female  cry  arose  in  the  air  in  a  prolonged  shriek.  The 
awful  stillness  that  succeeded  was,  if  possible,  more  ap 
palling  than  the  fierce  and  sudden  interruption  of  the 
deep  silence  of  midnight.  Resolute  as  she  was  both  by 
nature  and  habit,  Judith  scarce  breathed,  while  poor 
Hetty  hid  her  face  and  trembled. 

"That  was  a  woman's  cry,  Hetty,"  said  the  former, 
solemnly,  "and  it  was  a  cry  of  anguish!  If  the  ark  has 
moved  from  this  spat,  it  can  only  have  gone  north  with 
this  air,  and  the  gun  and  shriek  came  from  the  point. 
Can  anything  have  befallen  Hist?" 


THE   DEERSLAYER  319 

"Let  us  go  and  see,  Judith;  she  may  want  our  assist 
ance — for  besides  herself,  there  are  none  but  men  in  the 
ark." 

It  was  not  a  moment  for  hesitation,  and  ere  Judith  had 
ceased  speaking  her  paddle  was  in  the  water.  The  dis 
tance  to  the  point  in  a  direct  line,  was  not  great,  and  the 
impulses  under  which  the  girls  worked  were  too  exciting 
to  allow  them  to  waste  the  precious  moments  in  useless 
precautions.  They  paddled  incautiously  for  them,  but  the 
same  excitement  kept  others  from  noting  their  move 
ments.  Presently  a  glare  of  light  caught  the  eye  of  Ju 
dith  through  an  opening  in  the  bushes,  and  steering  by  it 
she  so  directed  the  canoe  as  to  keep  it  visible,  while  she 
got  as  near  the  land  as  was  either  prudent  or  necessary. 

The  scene  that  was  now  presented  to  the  observation  of 
the  girls  was  within  the  woods,  on  the  side  of  the  decliv 
ity  so  often  mentioned,  and  in  plain  view  from  the  boat. 
Here  all  in  the  camp  were  collected,  some  six  or  eight 
carrying  torches  of  fat-pine,  which  cast  a  strong  but 
funereal  light  on  all  beneath  the  arches  of  the  forest. 
With  her  back  supported  against  a  tree,  and  sustained  on 
one  side  by  the  young  sentinel  whose  remissness  had  suf 
fered  Hetty  to  escape,  sat  the  female  whose  expected  visit 
had  produced  his  delinquency.  By  the  glare  of  the  torch 
that  was  held  near  her  face,  it  was  evident  that  she  was 
in  the  agonies  of  death,  while  the  blood  that  trickled 
from  her  bared  bosom  betrayed  the  nature  of  the  injury 
she  had  received.  The  pungent,  peculiar  smell  of  gun 
powder,  too,  was  still  quite  perceptible  in  the  heavy  damp 
night  air.  There  could  be  no  question  that  she  had  been 
shot.  Judith  understood  it  all  at  a  glance.  The  streak  of 
light  had  appeared  on  the  water  a  short  distance  from  the 
point,  and  either  the  rifle  had  been  discharged  from  a 
canoe  hovering  near  the  land,  or  it  had  been  fired  from 
the  ark  in  passing.  An  incautious  exclamation  or  laugh 
may  have  produced  the  assault,  for  it  was  barely  possible 
that  the  aim  had  been  assisted  by  any  other  agent  than 
sound.  As  to  the  effect,  that  was  soon  still  more  appar 
ent,  the  head  of  the  victim  dropping,  and  the  body  sinking 
in  death.  Then  all  the  torches  but  one  were  extinguished 
— a  measure  of  prudence;  and  the  melancholy  train  that 


320  THE   DEERSLAYER 

bore  the  body  to  the  camp  was  just  to  be  distinguished  by 
the  glimmering  light  that  remained. 

Judith  sighed  heavily  and  shuddered,  as  her  paddle 
again  dipped,  and  the  canoe  moved  cautiously  around  the 
point.  A  sight  had  afflicted  her  senses,  and  now  haunted 
her  imagination,  that  was  still  harder  to  be  borne  than 
even  the  untimely  fate  and  passing  agony  of  the  deceased 
girl.  She  had  seen,  under  the  strong  glare  of  all  the 
torches,  the  erect  form  of  Deerslayer,  standing,  with 
commiseration,  and,  as  she  thought,  with  shame  depicted 
on  his  countenance,  near  the  dying  female.  He  betrayed 
neither  fear  nor  backwardness,  himself;  but  it  was  appar 
ent  by  the  glances  cast  at  him  by  the  warriors  that  fierce 
passions  were  struggling  in  their  bosoms.  All  this  seemed 
to  be  unheeded  by  the  captive,  but  it  remained  impressed 
on  the  memory  of  Judith  throughout  the  night. 

No  canoe  was  met  hovering  near  the  point.  A  stillness 
and  darkness,  as  complete  as  if  the  silence  of  the  forest 
had  never  been  disturbed,  or  the  sun  had  never  shone  on 
that  retired  region,  now  reigned  on  the  point,  and  on  the 
gloomy  water,  the  slumbering  woods,  and  even  the  murky 
sky.  No  more  could  be  done,  therefore,  than  to  seek  a 
place  of  safety;  and  this  was  only  to  be  found  in  the 
center  of  the  lake.  Paddling,  in  silence,  to  that  spot,  the 
canoe  was  suffered  to  drift  northerly,  while  the  girls 
sought  such  repose  as  their  situation  and  feelings  would 
permit. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

"  Stand  to  your  arms,  and  gnard  the  door— all's  lost 
Unless  that  fearful  bell  be  silenced  soon. 
The  officer  hath  missed  his  path,  or  purpose, 
Or  met  some  unforeseen  and  hideous  obstacle. 
Anselmo,  with  thy  company  proceed 
Straight  to  the  tower ;  the  rest  remain  with  me." 

—MARINO  FALIERO, 

THE  conjecture  of  Judith  Hutter  concerning  the  manner 
in  which  the  Indian  girl  had  met  her  death,  was  accurate 
in  the  main.  After  sleeping  several  hours,  her  father 
and  March  awoke.  This  occurred  a  few  minutes  after  she 
had  left  the  ark  to  go  in  quest  of  her  sister,  and  when  of 
course  Chingachgook  and  his  betrothed  were  on  board. 
From  the  Delaware  the  old  man  learned  the  position  of 
the  camp,  and  the  recent  events,  as  well  as  the  absence  of 
his  daughters.  The  latter  gave  him  no  concern;  for  he 
relied  greatly  on  the  sagacity  of  the  eldest,  and  the  known 
impunity  with  which  the  younger  passed  among  the  sav 
ages.  Long  familiarity  with  danger,  too,  had  blunted  his 
sensibilities.  Nor  did  he  seem  much  to  regret  the  captivity 
of  Deerslayer;  for  while  he  knew  how  material  his  aid 
might  be  in  a  defense,  the  difference  in  their  views  on 
the  morality  of  the  woods  had  not  left  much  sympathy 
between  them.  He  would  have  rejoiced  to  know  the  posi 
tion  of  the  camp  before  it  had  been  alarmed  by  the  escape 
of  Hist,  but  it  would  be  too  hazardous  now  to  venture  to 
land;  and  he  reluctantly  relinquished  for  the  night  the 
ruthless  designs  that  captivity  and  revenge  had  excited 
him  to  entertain.  In  this  mood  Hutter  took  a  seat  in  the 
head  of  the  scow,  where  he  was  quickly  joined  by  Hurry; 
leaving  the  Serpent  and  Hist  in  quiet  possession  of  the 
other  extremity  of  the  vessel. 

"Deerslayer  has  shown  himself  a  boy,  in  going  among 
the  savages  at  this  hour,  and  letting  himself  fall  into 
their  hands  like  a  deer  that  tumbles  into  a  pit,"  growled 
the  old  man,  perceiving  as  usual  the  mote  in  his  neigh 
bor's  eyes,  while  he  overlooked  the  beam  in  his  own.  "If 
21  321 


322  THE   DEERSLAYER 

he  is  left  to  pay  for  his  stupidity  with  his  own  flesh,  he 
can  blame  no  one  but  himself. ' ' 

"That's  the  way  of  the  world,  Old  Tom,"  returned 
Hurry.  "Every  man  must  meet  his  own  debts,  and  answer 
for  his  owns  sins.  I'm  amazed,  however,  that  a  lad  as 
skillful  and  watchful  as  Deerslayer  should  have  been 
caught  in  such  a  trap!  Didn't  he  know  any  better  than 
to  go  prowling  about  a  Huron  camp,  at  midnight,  with 
no  place  to  retreat  to  but  a  lake?  or  did  he  think  himself 
a  buck,  that  by  taking  to  the  water  could  throw  off  the 
scent  and  swim  himself  out  of  difficulty?  I  had  a  better 
opinion  of  the  boy's  judgment,  I'll  own;  but  we  must 
overlook  a  little  ignorance  in  a  raw  hand.  I  say,  Master 
Hutter,  do  you  happen  to  know  what  has  become  of  the 
gals?  I  see  no  signs  of  Judith  or  Hetty,  though  I've 
been  through  the  ark,  and  looked  into  all  its  living 
creatur's. " 

Hutter  briefly  explained  the  manner  in  which  his 
daughters  had  taken  to  the  canoe,  as  it  had  been  related 
by  the  Delaware,  as  well  as  the  return  of  Judith  after 
landing  her  sister,  and  her  second  departure. 

"This  comes  of  a  smooth  tongue,  Floating  Tom,"  ex 
claimed  Hurry,  grating  his  teeth  in  pure  resentment — 
"this  comes  of  a  smooth  tongue,  and  a  silly  gal's  inclina 
tions — and  you  had  best  look  into  the  matter!  You  and  I 
were  both  prisoners," — Hurry  could  recall  that  circum 
stance  now, — "you  and  I  were  both  prisoners,  and  yet 
Judith  never  stirred  an  inch  to  do  us  any  sarvice!  She  is 
bewitched  with  this  lank-looking  Deerslayer;  and  he,  and 
she,  and  you,  and  all  of  us,  had  best  look  to  it.  I  am  not 
a  man  to  put  up  with  such  a  wrong  quietly,  and  do  say, 
all  the  parties  had  best  look  to  it!  Let's  up  kedge,  old 
fellow,  and  move  nearer  to  this  point,  and  see  how 
matters  are  getting  on." 

Hutter  had  no  objections  to  this  movement,  and  the  ark 
was  got  under  way,  in  the  usual  manner,  care  being  taken 
to  make  no  noise.  The  wind  was  passing  northward,  and 
the  sail  soon  swept  the  scow  so  far  up  the  lake,  as  to 
render  the  dark  outlines  of  the  trees  that  clothed  the 
point  dimly  visible.  Floating  Tom  steered,  and  he  sailed 
along  as  near  the  land  as  the  depth  of  the  water  and  the 


overhanging  branches  would  allow.  It  was  impossible  to 
distinguish  anything  that  stood  within  the  shadows  of  the 
shore;  but  the  forms  of  the  sail  and  of  the  hut  were 
discerned  by  the  young  sentinel  on  the  beach,  who  has 
already  been  mentioned.  In  the  moment  of  sudden  sur 
prise,  a  deep  Indian  exclamation  escaped  him.  In  that 
spirit  of  recklessness  and  ferocity  that  formed  the  essence 
of  Hurry's  character,  this  man  dropped  his  rifle  and  fired. 
The  ball  was  sped  by  accident,  or  by  that  overruling 
Providence  which  decides  the  fates  of  all,  and  the  girl 
fell.  Then  followed  the  scene  with  the  torches,  which 
has  just  been  described. 

At  the  precise  moment  when  Hurry  committed  this  act 
of  unthinking  cruelty,  the  canoe  of  Judith  was  within  a 
hundred  feet  of  the  spot  from  which  the  ark  had  so  lately 
moved.  Her  own  course  has  been  described,  and  it  has 
now  become  our  office  to  follow  that  of  her  father  and  his 
companions.  The  shriek  announced  the  effects  of  the 
random  shot  of  March,  and  it  also  proclaimed  that  the 
victim  was  a  woman.  Hurry  himself  was  startled  at  these 
unlooked-for  consequences;  and  for  a  moment  he  was 
sorely  disturbed  by  conflicting  sensations.  At  first  he 
laughed,  in  reckless  and  rude-minded  exultation;  and  then 
conscience,  that  monitor  planted  in  our  breasts  by  God, 
and  which  receives  its  more  general  growth  from  the 
training  bestowed  in  the  tillage  of  childhood,  shot  a  pang 
to  his  heart.  For  a  minute  the  mind  of  this  creature, 
equally  of  civilization  and  barbarism,  was  a  sort  of  chaos 
as  to  feeling,  not  knowing  what  to  think  of  its  own  act; 
and  then  the  obstinacy  and  pride  of  one  of  his  habits  in 
terposed  to  assert  their  usual  ascendency.  He  struck  the 
butt  of  his  rifle  on  the  bottom  of  the  scow  with  a  species 
of  defiance,  and  began  to  whistle  a  low  air  with  an  affecta 
tion  of  indifference.  All  this  time  the  ark  was  in  motion, 
and  it  was  already  opening  the  bay  above  the  point,  and 
was  consequently  quitting  the  land. 

Hurry's  companions  did  not  view  his  conduct  with  the 
same  indulgence  as  that  with  which  he  appeared  disposed 
to  regard  it  himself.  Hutter  growled  out  his  dissatisfac 
tion,  for  the  act  led  to  no  advantage,  while  it  threatened 
to  render  the  warfare  more  vindictive  than  ever;  and 


324  THE   DEERSLAYER 

none  censure  motiveless  departures  from  the  right  more 
severely  than  the  mercenary  and  unprincipled.  Still  he 
commanded  himself,  the  captivity  of  Deerslayer  rendering 
the  arm  of  the  offender  of  double  consequence  to  him  at 
that  moment.  Chingachgook  arose,  and  for  a  single  in 
stant  the  ancient  animosity  of  tribes  was  forgotten  in  a 
feeling  of  color;  but  he  recollected  himself  in  season  to 
prevent  any  of  the  fierce  consequences  that  for  a  passing 
moment  he  certainly  meditated.  Not  so  with  Hist.  Rush 
ing  through  the  hut,  or  cabin,  the  girl  stood  at  the  side 
of  Hurry,  almost  as  soon  as  his  rifle  touched  the  bottom 
of  the  scow;  and  with  a  fearlessness  that  did  credit  to 
her  heart,  she  poured  out  her  reproaches  with  the  generous 
warmth  of  a  woman. 

"What  for  you  shoot?"  she  said.  "What  Huron  gal 
do,  dat  you  kill  him?  What  you  t'ink  Manitou  say? 
What  you  t'ink  Manitou  feel?  What  Iroquois  do?  No 
get  honor — no  get  camp — no  get  prisoner — no  get  battle 
— no  get  scalp — no  get  not' ing  at  all.  Blood  come  after 
blood!  How  you  feel  your  wife  killed?  Who  pity  you 
when  tear  come  from  moder  or  sister?  You  big  as  great 
pine — Huron  gal  little  slender  birch — why  you  fall  on  her 
and  crush  her?  You  t'ink  Huron  forget  it?  No;  red-skin 
never  forget.  Never  forget  friend;  never  forget  enemy. 
Red-man  Manitou  in  dat.  Why  you  so  wicked,  great 
pale  face?" 

Hurry  had  never  been  so  daunted  as  by  this  close  and 
warm  attack  of  the  Indian  girl.  It  is  true  that  she  had 
a  powerful  ally  in  his  conscience;  and  while  she  spoke 
earnestly,  it  was  in  tones  so  feminine  as  to  deprive  him 
of  any  pretext  for  unmanly  anger.  The  softness  of  her 
voice  added  to  the  weight  of  her  remonstrance,  by  lending 
to  the  latter  an  air  of  purity  and  truth.  Like  most  vul 
gar-minded  men,  he  had  only  regarded  the  Indians  through 
the  medium  of  their  coarser  and  fiercer  characteristics. 
It  had  never  struck  him  that  the  affections  are  human; 
that  even  high  principles — modified  by  habits  and  preju 
dices,  but  not  the  less  elevated  within  their  circle — can 
exist  in  the  savage  state;  and  that  the  warrior  who  is 
most  ruthless  in  the  field  can  submit  to  the  softest  and 
gentlest  influences  in  the  moments  of  domestic  quiet.  In 


THE   DEERSLAYER  325 

a  word,  it  was  the  habit  of  his  mind  to  regard  all  Indians 
as  being  only  a  slight  degree  removed  from  the  wild 
beasts  that  roamed  the  woods,  and  to  feel  disposed  to 
treat  them  accordingly,  whatever  interest  or  caprice  sup 
plied  a  motive  or  an  impulse.  Still,  though  daunted  by 
these  reproaches,  the  handsome  barbarian  could  hardly  be 
said  to  be  penitent.  He  was  too  much  rebuked  by  con 
science  to  suffer  an  outbreak  of  temper  to  escape  him;  and 
perhaps  he  felt  that  he  had  already  committed  an  act  that 
might  justly  bring  his  manhood  in  question.  Instead  of 
resenting  or  answering  the  simple  but  natural  appeal  of 
Hist,  he  walked  away  like  one  who  disdained  entering 
into  a  controversy  with  a  woman. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  ark  swept  onward,  and  by  the  time 
the  scene  with  the  torches  was  enacting  beneath  the  trees, 
it  had  reached  the  open  lake;  Floating  Tom  causing  it  to 
sheer  further  from  the  land,  with  sort  of  instinctive  dread 
of  retaliation.  An  hour  now  passed  in  gloomy  silence,  no 
one  appearing  disposed  to  break  it.  Hist  had  retired  to 
her  pallet,  and  Chingachgook  lay  sleeping  in  the  forward 
part  of  the  scow.  Hutter  and  Hurry  alone  remained 
awake,  the  former  at  the  steering  oar,  while  the  latter 
brooded  over  his  own  conduct  with  the  stubbornness  of 
one  little  given  to  confession  of  his  errors,  and  the  secret 
goadings  of  the  worm  that  never  dies.  This  was  at  the 
moment  when  Judith  and  Hetty  reached  the  center  of  the 
lake,  and  had  lain  down  to  endeavor  to  sleep  in  their 
drifting  canoe. 

The  night  was  calm,  though  so  much  obscured  by 
clouds.  The  season  was  not  one  of  storms,  and  those 
which  did  occur  in  the  month  of  June  on  that  embedded 
water,  though  frequently  violent,  were  always  of  short 
continuance.  Nevertheless,  there  was  the  usual  current 
of  heavy,  damp  night  air,  which,  passing  over  the  sum 
mits  of  the  trees,  scarcely  appeared  to  descend  so  low  as 
the  surface  of  the  glassy  lake,  but  kept  moving  a  short 
distance  above  it,  saturated  with  the  humidity  that  con 
stantly  arose  from  the  woods,  and  apparently  never  pro 
ceeding  far  in  any  one  direction.  The  currents  were 
influenced  by  the  formation  of  the  hills,  as  a  matter  of 
course — a  circumstance  that  rendered  even  fresh  breezes 


326  THE   DEERSLAYER 

baffling,  and  which  reduced  the  feebler  efforts  of  the 
night  air  to  be  a  sort  of  capricious  and  fickle  sighings  of 
the  woods.  Several  times  the  head  of  the  ark  pointed 
east,  and  once  it  was  actually  turned  towards  the  south 
again;  but  on  the  whole,  it  worked  its  way  north,  Hutter 
making  always  a  fair  wind,  if  wind  it  could  be  called,  his 
principal  motive  appearing  to  be  a  wish  to  keep  in  motion, 
in  order  to  defeat  any  treacherous  design  of  his  enemies. 
He  now  felt  some  little  concern  about  his  daughters,  and 
perhaps  as  much  about  the  canoe ;  but,  on  the  whole,  this 
uncertainty  did  not  much  disturb  him,  as  he  had  the  re 
liance  already  mentioned  on  the  intelligence  of  Judith. 
It  was  the  season  of  the  shortest  nights,  and  it  was  not 
long  before  the  deep  obscurity  which  precedes  the  day 
began  to  yield  to  the  returning  light.  If  any  earthly 
scene  could  be  presented  to  the  senses  of  man  that  might 
soothe  his  passion  and  temper  his  ferocity,  it  was  that 
which  grew  upon  the  eyes  of  Hutter  and  Hurry  as  the 
hours  advanced,  changing  night  to  morning.  There  were 
the  usual  soft  tints  of  the  sky  in  which  neither  the  gloom 
of  darkness  nor  the  brilliancy  of  the  sun  prevails,  and 
under  which  objects  appear  more  unearthly,  and  we  might 
add,  holy,  than  at  any  other  portion  of  the  twenty-four 
hours.  The  beautiful  and  soothing  calm  of  eventide  has 
been  extolled  by  a  thousand  poets,  and  yet  it  does  not 
bring  with  it  the  far-reaching  and  sublime  thoughts  of 
the  half-hour  that  precedes  the  rising  of  a  summer's  sun. 
In  the  one  case  the  panorama  is  gradually  hid  from  the 
sight,  while  in  the  other  its  objects  start  out  from  the 
unfolding  picture,  first  dim  and  misty,  then  marked  in, 
in  solemn  background;  next  seen  in  the  witchery  of  an 
increasing,  a  thing  as  different  as  possible  from  the  de 
creasing  twilight,  and  finally  mellow,  distinct,  and  lumin 
ous,  as  the  rays  of  the  great  center  of  light  diffuse  them 
selves  in  the  atmosphere.  The  hymns  of  birds,  too,  have 
no  novel  counterpart  in  the  retreat  to  the  roost,  or  the 
flight  to  the  nest;  and  these  invariably  accompany  the  ad 
vent  of  the  day,  until  the  appearance  of  the  sun  itself. 

"Bathes  in  deep  joy  the  land  and  sea." 

All  this,  however,  Hutter  and  Hurry  witnessed  without 
experiencing  any  of  that  calm  delight  which  the  spectacle 


THE   DEERSLAYER  327 

is  wont  to  bring  when  the  thoughts  are  just,  and  the 
aspirations  pure.  They  not  only  witnessed  it,  but  they 
witnessed  it  under  circumstances  that  had  a  tendency  to 
increase  its  power  and  to  heighten  its  charms.  Only  one 
solitary  object  became  visible  in  the  returning  light,  that 
had  received  its  form  or  uses  from  human  taste  or  human 
desires,  which  as  often  deform  as  beautify  a  landscape. 
This  was  the  castle;  all  the  rest  being  native,  and  fresh 
from  the  hand  of  God.  That  singular  residence,  too,  was 
in  keeping  with  the  natural  objects  of  the  view,  starting 
out  from  the  gloom,  quaint,  picturesque,  and  ornamental. 
Nevertheless,  the  whole  was  lost  on  the  observers,  who 
knew  no  feeling  of  poetry,  had  lost  their  sense  of  natural 
devotion  in  lives  of  obdurate  and  narrow  selfishness,  and 
had  little  other  sympathy  with  nature  than  that  which 
originated  with  her  lowest  wants. 

As  soon  as  the  light  was  sufficiently  strong  to  allow  of 
a  distinct  view  of  the  lake,  and  more  particularly  of  its 
shores,  Hutter  turned  the  head  of  the  ark  directly  towards 
the  castle,  with  the  avowed  intention  of  taking  possession 
for  the  day  at  least,  as  the  place  most  favorable  for  meet 
ing  his  daughters,  and  for  carrying  on  his  operations 
against  the  Indians.  By  this  time,  Chingachgook  was  up, 
and  Hist  was  heard  stirring  among  the  furniture  of  the 
kitchen.  The  place  for.  which  they  steered  was  distant 
only  a  mile,  and  the  air  was  sufficiently  favorable  to  per 
mit  it  to  be  neared  by  means  of  the  sail.  At  this  moment, 
too,  to  render  the  appearances  generally  auspicious,  the 
canoe  of  Judith  was  seen  floating  northward  in  the  broad 
est  part  of  the  lake,  having  actually  passed  the  scow  in 
the  darkness,  in  obedience  to  no  other  power  than  that  of 
the  elements.  Hutter  got  his  glass,  and  took  a  long  and 
anxious  survey  to  ascertain  if  his  daughters  were  in  the 
light  craft,  or  not;  and  a  slight  exclamation  like  that  of 
joy  escaped  him,  as  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  what  he  rightly 
conceived  to  be  a  part  of  Judith's  dress  above  the  top  of 
the  canoe.  At  the  next  instant,  the  girl  arose,  and  was 
seen  gazing  about  her,  like  one  assuring  herself  of  her 
situation.  A  minute  later,  Hetty  was  seen  on  her  knees, 
in  the  other  end  of  the  canoe,  repeating  the  prayers  that 
had  been  taught  her,  in  childhood,  by  a  misguided  but 
repentant  mother.  As  Hutter  laid  down  the  glass,  still 


328  THE   DEERSLAYER 

drawn  to  its  focus,  the  Serpent  raised  it  to  his  eye  and 
turned  it  towards  the  canoe.  It  was  the  first  time  he  had 
ever  used  such  an  instrument,  and  Hist  understood  by  his 
"Hugh!"  the  expression  of  his  face,  and  his  entire  mien, 
that  something  wonderful  had  excited  his  admiration.  It 
is  well  known  that  the  American  Indians,  more  particu 
larly  those  of  superior  character  and  stations,  singularly 
maintain  their  self-possession  and  stoicism  in  the  midst 
of  the  flood  of  marvels  that  present  themselves  in  their 
occasional  visits  to  the  abodes  of  civilization;  and  Chin- 
gachgook  had  imbibed  enough  of  this  impassibility  to 
suppress  any  very  undignified  manifestation  of  surprise. 
With  Hist,  however,  no  such  law  was  binding,  and  when 
her  lover  managed  to  bring  the  glass  in  a  line  with  the 
canoe,  and  her  eye  was  applied  to  the  smaller  end,  the 
girl  started  back  in  alarm;  then  she  clapped  her  hands 
with  delight,  and  a  laugh,  the  usual  attendant  of  untu 
tored  admiration,  followed.  A  few  minutes  sufficed  to 
enable  this  quick-witted  girl  to  manage  the  instrument 
for  herself,  and  she  directed  it  at  every  prominent  object 
that  struck  her  fancy.  Finding  a  rest  in  one  of  the  win 
dows,  she  and  the  Delaware  first  surveyed  the  lake,  then 
the  shores,  the  hills,  and  finally  the  castle  attracted  their 
attention.  After  a  long,  steady  gaze  at  the  latter,  Hist 
took  away  her  eye,  and  spoke  to  her  lover  in  a  low,  earn 
est  manner.  Chingachgook  immediately  placed  his  eye 
to  the  glass,  and  his  look  even  exceeded  that  of  his 
betrothed,  in  length  and  intensity.  Again  they  spoke 
together  confidentially,  appearing  to  compare  opinions, 
after  which  the  glass  was  laid  aside,  and  the  young  war 
rior  quitted  the  cabin  to  join  Hutter  and  Hurry. 

The  bark  was  slowly  but  steadily  advancing  and  the 
castle  was  materially  within  half  a  mile,  when  Chingach 
gook  joined  the  two  white  men  in  the  stern  of  the  scow. 
His  manner  was  calm,  but  it  was  evident  to  the  others, 
who  were  familiar  with  the  habits  of  the  Indians,  that  he 
had  something  to  communicate.  Hurry  was  generally 
prompt  to  speak,  and  according  to  custom,  he  took  the 
lead  on  this  occasion. 

"Out  with  it,  red-skin,"  he  cried,  in  his  usual  rough 
manner.  "Have  you  discovered  a  chip-munk  in  a  tree, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  329 

or  is  there  a  salmon-trout  swimming  under  the  bottom  of 
the  scow?  You  find  what  a  pale  face  can  do  in  the  way 
of  eyes,  now,  Sarpent,  and  mustn't  wonder  that  they  can 
see  the  land  of  the  Indians  from  afar  off." 

"No  good  to  go  to  castle,"  put  in  Chingachgook  with 
emphasis,  the  moment  the  other  gave  him  an  opportunity 
of  speaking.  "Huron  there. " 

"The  devil  he  is!  If  this  should  turn  out  to  be  true, 
Floating  Tom,  a  pretty  trap  were  we  about  to  pull  down 
on  our  heads!  Huron  there! — well,  this  may  be  so;  but 
no  signs  can  I  see  of  anything  near  or  about  the  old  hut 
but  logs,  water,  and  bark — 'bating  two  or  three  windows 
and  one  door. ' ' 

Hutter  called  for  the  glass  and  took  a  careful  survey  of 
the  spot  before  he  ventured  an  opinion  at  all;  then  he 
somewhat  cavalierly  expressed  his  dissent  from  that  given 
by  the  Indian. 

"You've  got  this  glass  wrong  end  foremost,  Delaware," 
continued  Hurry;  "neither  the  old  man  nor  I  can  see  any 
trail  in  the  lake." 

"No  trail — water  make  no  trail,"  said  Hist,  eagerly. 
"Stop  boat — no  go  too  near — Huron  there!" 

"Ay,  that's  it!  Stick  to  the  same  tale  and  more  people 
will  believe  you.  I  hope,  Sarpent,  you  and  your  gal  will 
agree  in  telling  the  same  story  arter  marriage  as  well  as 
you  do  now.  Huron  there! — whereabouts  is  he  to  be  seen 
— in  the  padlock,  or  the  chains,  or  the  logs?  There  isn't 
a  jail  in  the  colony  that  has  a  more  lock-up  look  about  it 
than  old  Tom's  chiente;  and  I  know  something  about  jails 
from  exper'ence. " 

"No  see  moccasin,"  said  Hist  impatiently,  "why  no 
look,  and  see  him." 

"Give  me  the  glass,  Harry,"  interrupted  Hutter,  "and 
lower  the  sail.  It  is  seldom  that  an  Indian  woman  med 
dles,  and  when  she  does  there  is  generally  a  cause  for  it. 
There  is,  truly,  a  moccasin  floating  against  one  of  the 
piles;  and  it  may  or  may  not  be  a  sign  that  the  castle 
hasn't  escaped  visitors  in  our  absence.  Moccasins  are  no 
rarities,  however,  for  I  wear  'em,  myself,  and  Deer- 
slayer  wears  'em,  and  you  wear  'em,  March;  and  for  that 
matter,  so  does  Hetty,  quite  as  often  as  she  wears  shoes; 


330  THE   DEERSLAYER 

though  I  never  yet  saw  Judith  thrust  her  pretty  foot  in  a 
moccasin." 

Hurry  had  lowered  the  sail,  and  by  this  time  the  ark 
was  within  two  hundred  yards  of  the  castle,  setting  in 
nearer  and  nearer  each  moment,  but  at  a  rate  too  slow  to 
excite  any  uneasiness.  Each  now  took  the  glass  in  turn, 
and  the  castle  and  everything  near  it  was  subjected  to  a 
scrutiny  still  more  rigid  than  ever.  There  the  moccasin 
lay,  beyond  a  question,  floating  so  lightly  and  preserving 
its  form  so  well  that  it  was  scarcely  wet.  It  had  caught 
by  a  piece  of  the  rough  bark  of  one  of  the  piles  on  the 
exterior  of  the  water-palisade  that  formed  the  dock  al 
ready  mentioned,  which  circumstance  alone  prevented  it 
from  drifting  away  before  the  air.  There  were  many 
modes,  however,  of  accounting  for  the  presence  of  the 
moccasin  without  supposing  it  to  have  been  dropped  by 
an  enemy.  It  might  have  fallen  from  the  platform  even 
while  Hutter  was  in  possession  of  the  place,  and  drifted 
to  the  spot  where  it  was  now  seen,  remaining  unnoticed 
until  detected  by  the  acute  vision  of  Hist.  It  might  have 
drifted  from  a  distance  up  or  down  the  lake,  and  acci 
dentally  become  attached  to  the  pile  or  palisade.  It  might 
have  been  thrown  from  a  window  and  alighted  in  that 
particular  place;  or  it  might  certainly  have  fallen  from 
a  scout  or  an  assailant  during  the  past  night,  who  was 
obliged  to  abandon  it  to  the  lake  in  the  deep  obscurity 
which  then  prevailed. 

All  these  conjectures  passed  from  Hutter  and  Hurry, 
the  former  appearing  disposed  to  regard  the  omen  as  a 
little  sinister,  while  the  latter  treated  it  with  his  usual 
reckless  disdain.  As  for  the  Indian,  he  was  of  opinion 
that  the  moccasin  should  be  viewed  as  one  would  regard 
trail  in  the  woods  which  might  or  might  not  equally  prove 
to  be  threatening.  Hist,  however,  had  something  avail 
able  to  propose.  She  declared  her  readiness  to  take  a 
canoe,  to  proceed  to  the  palisade,  and  bring  away  the 
moccasin,  when  its  ornaments  would  show  whether  it  came 
from  the  Canadas  or  not.  Both  the  white  men  were  dis 
posed  to  accept  this  offer;  but  the  Delaware  interfered  to 
prevent  the  risk.  If  such  a  service  was  to  be  undertaken, 
it  best  became  a  warrior  to  expose  himself  in  its  execu- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  331 

tion;  and  he  gave  his  refusal  to  let  his  betrothed  pro 
ceed,  much  in  the  quiet,  but  brief  manner  in  which  an 
Indian  husband  issues  his  commands. 

"Well,  then,  Delaware,  go  yourself,  if  you're  so  tender 
of  your  squaw,"  put  in  the  unceremonious  Hurry.  "That 
moccasin  must  be  had,  or  Floating  Tom  will  keep  off  here 
at  arm's  length  till  the  hearth  cools  in  his  cabin.  It's  but 
a  little  deer-skin  arter  all,  and  cut  this-a-way,  or  that-a- 
way,  it's  not  a  skear-crow  to  frighten  true  hunters  from 
their  game.  What  say  you,  Sarpent,  shall  you  or  I  canoe 
it?" 

"Let  red  man  go.  Better  eyes  than  pale  face — know 
Huron  trick  better,  too." 

"That  I'll  gainsay,  to  the  hour  of  my  death!  A  white 
man's  eyes,  and  a  white  man's  nose,  and  for  that  matter 
his  sight  and  ears,  are  all  better  than  an  Injin's  when 
fairly  tried.  Time  and  ag'in  have  I  put  that  to  the  proof, 
and  what  is  proved  is  sartain.  Still  I  suppose  the  poorest 
vagabond  going,  whether  Delaware  or  Huron,  can  find 
his  way  to  yonder  hut  and  back  ag'in,  and  so,  Sarpent, 
use  your  paddle  and  welcome. ' ' 

Chingachgook  was  already  in  the  canoe,  and  he  dipped 
the  implement  the  other  named  into  the  water,  just  as 
Hurry's  limber  tongue  ceased.  Wah-ta-Wah  saw  the 
departure  of  her  warrior  on  this  occasion  with  the  sub 
missive  silence  of  an  Indian  girl,  but  with  most  of  the 
misgivings  and  apprehensions  of  her  sex.  Throughout 
the  whole  of  the  past  night,  and  down  to  the  moment 
when  they  used  the  glass  together  in  the  hut,  Chingach 
gook  had  manifested  as  much  manly  tenderness  towards 
his  betrothed  as  one  of  the  most  refined  sentiments  could 
have  shown  under  similar  circumstances;  but  now  every 
sign  of  weakness  was  lost  in  an  appearance  of  stern  reso 
lution.  Although  Hist  timidly  endeavored  to  catch  his 
eye,  as  the  canoe  left  the  side  of  the  ark,  the  pride  of  the 
warrior  would  not  permit  him  to  meet  her  fond  and  anx 
ious  looks.  The  canoe  departed,  and  not  a  wandering 
glance  rewarded  her  solicitude. 

Nor  were  the  Delaware's  care  and  gravity  misplaced, 
under  the  impressions  with  which  he  proceeded  on  this 
enterprise.  If  the  enemy  had  really  gained  possession  of 


332  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  building  he  was  obliged  to  put  himself  under  the 
very  muzzles  of  their  rifles,  as  it  were,  and  this  too  with 
out  the  protection  of  any  of  that  cover  which  formed  so 
essential  an  ally  in  Indian  warfare.  It  is  scarcely  possi 
ble  to  conceive  of  a  service  more  dangerous;  and  had 
the  Serpent  been  fortified  by  the  experience  of  ten  more 
years,  or  had  his  friend,  the  Deerslayer,  been  present,  it 
would  never  have  been  attempted;  the  advantages  in  no 
degree  compensating  for  the  risk.  But  the  pride  of  an 
Indian  chief  was  acted  on  by  the  rivalry  of  color;  and  it 
is  not  unlikely  that  the  presence  of  the  very  creature  from 
whom  his  ideas  of  manhood  prevented  his  receiving  a 
single  glance,  overflowing  as  he  was  with  the  love  she  so 
well  merited,  had  no  small  influence  on  his  determination. 

Chingachgook  paddled  steadily  towards  the  palisades, 
keeping  his  eye  on  the  different  loops  of  the  building. 
Each  instant  he  expected  to  see  the  muzzle  of  a  rifle 
protruded,  or  to  hear  its  sharp  crack;  but  he  succeeded  in 
reaching  the  piles  in  safety.  Here  he  was,  in  a  measure, 
protected,  having  the  heads  of  the  palisades  between  him 
and  the  hut;  and  the  chances  of  any  attempt  on  his  life, 
while  thus  covered,  were  greatly  diminished.  The  canoe 
had  reached  the  piles  with  its  head  inclining  northward, 
and  at  a  short  distance  from  the  moccasin.  Instead  of 
turning  to  pick  up  the  latter,  the  Delaware  slowly  made 
the  circuit  of  the  whole  building,  deliberately  examining 
every  object  that  should  betray  the  presence  of  enemies, 
or  the  commission  of  violence.  Not  a  single  sign  could 
be  discovered,  however,  to  confirm  the  suspicions  that  had 
been  awakened.  The  stillness  of  desertion  pervaded  the 
building;  not  a  fastening  was  displaced;  not  a  window 
had  been  broken.  The  door  looked  as  secure  as  at  the 
hour  when  it  was  closed  by  Hutter,  and  even  the  gate  of 
the  dock  had  all  the  customary  fastenings.  In  short,  the 
most  wary  and  jealous  eye  could  detect  no  other  evidence 
of  the  visit  of  enemies  than  that  which  was  connected 
with  the  appearance  of  the  floating  moccasin. 

The  Delaware  was  now  greatly  at  a  loss  how  to  proceed. 
At  one  moment,  as  he  came  round  in  front  of  the  castle, 
he  was  on  the  point  of  stepping  up  on  the  platform,  and 
of  applying  his  eye  to  one  of  the  loops,  with  a  view  of 


THE   DEERSLAYER  333 

taking  a  direct  personal  inspection  of  the  state  of  things 
within;  but  he  hesitated.  Though  of  little  experience  in 
such  matters  himself,  he  had  heard  so  much  of  Indian 
artifices  through  traditions,  had  listened  with  such  breath 
less  interest  to  the  narration  of  the  escapes  of  the  elder 
warriors,  and,  in  short,  was  so  well  schooled  in  the  theory 
of  his  calling,  that  it  was  almost  as  impossible  for  him  to 
make  any  gross  blunder  on  such  an  occasion,  as  it  was  for 
a  well-grounded  scholar,  who  had  commenced  correctly, 
to  fail  in  solving  his  problem  in  mathematics.  Relin 
quishing  the  momentary  intention  to  land,  the  chief 
slowly  pursued  his  course  round  the  palisades.  As  he 
approached  the  moccasin — having  now  nearly  completed 
the  circuit  of  the  building — he  threw  the  ominous  article 
into  the  canoe,  by  a  dexterous  and  almost  imperceptible 
movement  of  his  paddle.  He  was  now  ready  to  depart; 
but  retreat  was  even  more  dangerous  than  the  approach, 
as  the  eye  could  no  longer  be  riveted  on  the  loops.  If 
there  was  really  any  one  in  the  castle,  the  motive  of  the 
Delaware  in  reconnoitering  must  be  understood;  and  it 
was  the  wisest  way,  however  perilous  it  might  be,  to 
retire  with  an  air  of  confidence,  as  if  all  distrust  were 
terminated  by  the  examination.  Such,  accordingly,  was 
the  course  adopted  by  the  Indian,  who  paddled  deliber 
ately  away,  taking  the  direction  of  the  ark,  suffering  no 
nervous  impulse  to  quicken  the  motions  of  his  arms,  or  to 
induce  him  to  turn  even  a  furtive  glance  behind  him. 

No  tender  wife,  reared  in  the  refinements  of  the  high 
est  civilization,  ever  met  a  husband  on  his  return  from 
the  field,  with  more  of  sensibility  in  her  countenance, 
than  Hist  discovered,  as  she  saw  the  Great  Serpent  of  the 
Delawares  step,  unharmed,  into  the  ark.  Still  she  re 
pressed  her  emotions,  though  the  joy  that  sparkled  in  her 
dark  eyes,  and  the  smile  that  lighted  her  pretty  mouth, 
spoke  a  language  that  her  betrothed  could  understand. 

"Well,  Sarpent,"  cried  Hurry,  always  the  first  to 
speak,  "what  news  from  the  Muskrats?  Did  they  show 
their  teeth  as  you  surrounded  their  dwelling?" 

"I  no  like  him,"  sententiously  returned  the  Delaware. 
"Too  still.  So  still,  can  see  silence!" 

"That's  downright  Injin — as  if  anything  could  make 


334  THE   DEERSLAYER 

less  noise  than  nothing!  If  you've  no  better  reason  than 
this  to  give,  Old  Tom  had  better  hoist  his  sail,  and  go 
and  get  his  breakfast  under  his  own  roof.  What  has  be 
come  of  the  moccasin?" 

"Here,"  returned  Chingachgook,  holding  up  his  prize 
for  the  general  inspection. 

The  moccasin  was  examined,  and  Hist  confidently  pro 
nounced  it  to  be  Huron,  by  the  manner  in  which  the  por 
cupine's  quills  were  arranged  on  its  front.  Hutter,  and 
the  Delaware,  too,  were  decidedly  of  the  same  opinion. 
Admitting  all  this,  however,  it  did  not  necessarily  follow 
that  its  owners  were  in  the  castle.  The  moccasin  might 
have  drifted  from  a  distance,  or  it  might  have  fallen 
from  the  foot  of  some  scout,  who  had  quitted  the  place 
when  his  errand  was  accomplished.  In  short,  it  explained 
nothing,  while  it  awakened  so  much  distrust. 

Under  these  circumstances,  Hutter  and  Harry  were  not 
men  to  be  long  deterred  from  proceeding,  by  proofs  as 
slight  as  that  of  the  moccasin.  They  hoisted  the  sail 
again,  and  the  ark  was  soon  in  motion,  heading  towards 
the  castle.  The  wind,  or  air,  continued  light,  and  the 
movement  was  sufficiently  slow  to  allow  of  a  deliberate 
survey  of  the  building  as  the  scow  approached. 

The  same  death-like  silence  reigned,  and  it  was  difficult 
to  fancy  that  anything  possessing  animal  life  could  be  in 
or  around  the  place.  Unlike  the  Serpent,  whose  imagina 
tion  had  acted  through  his  traditions  until  he  was  ready 
to  perceive  an  artificial  in  a  natural  stillness,  the  others 
saw  nothing  to  apprehend  in  a  tranquillity  that,  in  truth 
merely  denoted  the  repose  of  inanimate  objects.  The  ac 
cessories  of  the  scene,  too,  were  soothing  and  calm,  rather 
than  exciting.  The  day  had  not  yet  advanced  so  far  as  to 
bring  the  sun  above  the  horizon,  but  the  heavens,  the 
atmosphere,  and  the  woods  and  lake,  were  all  seen  under 
that  softening  light  which  immediately  precedes  his 
appearance,  and  which,  perhaps,  is  the  most  witching 
period  of  the  four- and -twenty  hours.  It  is  the  moment 
when  everything  is  distinct,  even  the  atmosphere  seeming 
to  possess  a  liquid  lucidity,  the  hues  appearing  gray  and 
softened,  with  the  outlines  of  objects  diffused,  and  the 
perspective  just  as  moral  truths,  that  are  presented  in 


THE   DEERSLAYER  335 

their  simplicity  without  the  meretricious  aids  of  orna 
ment  or  glitter.  In  a  word,  it  is  the  moment  when  the 
senses  seem  to  recover  their  powers  in  the  simplest  and 
most  accurate  forms,  like  the  mind  emerging  from  the 
obscurity  of  doubts  into  the  tranquillity  and  peace  of 
demonstration.  Most  of  the  influence  that  such  a  scene 
is  apt  to  produce  on  those  who  are  properly  constituted 
in  a  moral  sense,  was  lost  on  Hutter  and  Hurry;  but  both 
the  Delawares,  though  too  much  accustomed  to  witness 
the  loveliness  of  morning-tide  to  stop  to  analyze  their 
feelings,  were  equally  sensible  of  the  beauties  of  the 
hour,  though  it  was  probably  in  a  way  unknown  to  them 
selves.  It  disposed  the  young  warrior  to  peace;  and  never 
had  he  felt  less  longings  for  the  glory  of  the  combat  than 
when  he  joined  Hist  in  the  cabin,  the  instant  the  scow 
rubbed  against  the  side  of  the  platform.  From  the  indul 
gence  of  such  gentle  emotions,  however,  he  was  aroused 
by  a  rude  summons  from  Hurry,  who  called  on  him  to 
come  forth  and  help  to  take  in  the  sail  and  to  secure  the 
ark. 

Chingachgook  obeyed;  and  by  the  time  he  had  reached 
the  head  of  the  scow,  Hurry  was  on  the  platform,  stamp 
ing  his  feet,  like  one  glad  to  touch  what,  by  comparison, 
might  be  called  terra  firma,  and  proclaiming  his  indiffer 
ence  to  the  whole  Huron  tribe,  in  his  customary  noisy, 
dogmatical  manner.  Hutter  had  hauled  a  canoe  up  to  the 
head  of  the  scow,  and  was  already  about  to  undo  the  fas 
tenings  of  the  gate,  in  order  to  enter  within  the  dock. 
March  had  no  other  motive  in  landing  than  a  senseless 
bravado,  and  having  shaken  the  door  in  a  manner  to  put 
its  solidity  to  the  proof,  he  joined  Hutter  in  the  canoe, 
and  began  to  aid  him  opening  the  gate.  The  reader  will 
remember  that  this  mode  of  entrance  was  rendered  neces-  \ 
sary  by  the  manner  in  which  the  owner  of  this  singular 
residence  habitually  secured  it  whenever  it  was  left 
empty;  more  particularly  at  moments  when  danger  was 
apprehended.  Hutter  had  placed  aline  in  the  Delaware's 
hand,  on  entering  the  canoe,  intimating  that  the  other 
was  to  fasten  the  ark  to  the  platform  and  to  lower  the 
sail.  Instead  of  following  these  directions,  however, 
Chingachgook  left  the  sail  standing,  and  throwing  the 


336  THE   DEERSLAYER 

bight  of  the  rope  over  the  head  of  a  pile,  he  permitted 
the  ark  to  drift  round  until  it  lay  against  the  defenses  in 
a  position  where  it  could  be  entered  only  by  means  of  a 
boat,  or  by  passing  along  the  summits  of  the  palisades; 
the  latter  being  an  exploit  that  required  some  command 
of  the  feet,  and  which  was  not  to  be  attempted  in  the 
face  of  a  resolute  enemy. 

In  consequence  of  this  change  in  the  position  of  the 
scow,  which  was  effected  before  Hutter  had  succeeded  in 
opening  the  gate  of  his  dock,  the  ark  and  the  castle  lay, 
as  sailors  would  express  it,  yard-arm  and  yard-arm,  kept 
asunder  some  ten  or  twelve  feet  by  means  of  the  piles. 
As  the  scow  pressed  close  against  the  latter,  their  tops 
formed  a  species  of  breastwork  that  rose  to  the  height  of 
a  man's  head,  covering  in  a  certain  degree  the  parts  of 
the  scow  that  were  not  protected  by  the  cabin.  The  Dela 
ware  surveyed  this  arrangement  with  great  satisfaction, 
and,  as  the  canoe  of  Hutter  passed  through  the  gate  into 
the  dock,  he  thought  that  he  might  defend  his  position 
against  any  garrison  in  the  castle,  for  a  sufficient  time, 
could  he  but  have  had  the  helping  arm  of  his  friend  Deer- 
slayer.  As  it  was,  he  felt  comparatively  secure,  and  no 
longer  suffered  the  keen  apprehensions  he  had  lately  ex 
perienced  in  behalf  of  Hist. 

A  single  shove  sent  the  canoe  from  the  gate  to  the  trap 
beneath  the  castle.  Here  Hutter  found  all  fast,  neither 
padlock,  nor  chain,  nor  bar,  having  been  molested.  The 
key  was  produced,  the  locks  removed,  the  chain  loosened, 
and  the  trap  pushed  upward.  Hurry  now  thrust  his  head 
in  at  the  opening;  the  arms  followed,  and  the  colossal 
legs  rose  without  any  apparent  effort.  At  the  next  in 
stant,  his  heavy  foot  was  heard  stamping  in  the  passage 
above;  that  which  separated  the  chambers  of  the  father 
and  daughters,  and  into  which  the  trap  opened.  He  then 
gave  a  shout  of  triumph. 

"Come  on,  Old  Tom,"  the  reckless  woodsman  called  out 
from  within  the  building;  "here's  your  tenement,  safe 
and  sound;  ay,  and  as  empty  as  a  nut  that  has  passed 
half  an  hour  in  the  paws  of  a  squirrel!  The  Delaware 
brags  of  being  able  to  see  silence;  let  him  come  here,  and 
he  may  feel  it  in  the  bargain." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  337 

"Any  silence  where  you  are,  Hurry  Harry,"  returned 
Hutter,  thrusting  his  head  in  at  the  hole,  as  he  uttered 
the  last  word,  which  instantly  caused  his  voice  to  sound 
smothered  to  those  without,  "any  silence  where  you  are 
ought  to  be  both  seen  and  felt,  for  it's  unlike  any  other 
silence." 

"Come,  come,  old  fellow;  hoist  yourself  up,  and  we'll 
open  doors  and  windows  and  let  in  the  fresh  air  to 
brighten  up  matters.  Few  words,  in  trouble  sometimes, 
make  men  the  best  fri'nds.  Your  darter  Judith  is  what 
I  call  a  misbehaving  young  woman,  and  the  hold  of  the 
whole  family  on  me  is  so  much  weakened  by  her  late  con 
duct,  that  it  wouldn't  take  a  speech  as  long  as  the  ten 
commandments  to  send  me  off  to  the  river,  leaving  you 
and  your  traps,  your  ark  and  your  children,  your  man 
servants  and  your  maid-servants,  your  oxen  and  your 
asses,  to  fight  this  battle  with  the  Iroquois  by  yourselves. 
Open  that  window,  Floating  Tom,  and  I  will  blunder 
through  and  do  the  same  job  to  the  front  door." 

A  moment  of  silence  succeeded,  and  a  noise  like  that 
produced  by  the  fall  of  a  heavy  body  followed.  A  deep 
execration  from  Hurry  succeeded,  and  then  the  whole  in 
terior  of  the  building  seemed  alive.  The  noises  that  now 
so  suddenly,  and  we  add  so  unexpectedly  even  to  the  Dela 
ware,  broke  the  stillness  within,  could  not  be  mistaken. 
They  resembled  those  that  would  be  produced  by  a  strug 
gle  between  tigers  in  a  cage.  Once  or  twice  the  Indian 
yell  was  given,  but  it  seemed  smothered,  and  as  if  it 
proceeded  from  exhausted  or  compressed  throats;  and,  in 
a  single  instance,  a  deep  and  another  shockingly  revolting 
execration  came  from  the  throat  of  Hurry.  It  appeared 
as  if  bodies  were  constantly  thrown  upon  the  floor  with 
violence,  as  often  rising  to  renew  the  struggle.  Chin- 
gachgook  felt  greatly  at  a  loss  what  to  do.  He  had  all 
the  arms  in  the  ark,  Hutter  and  Hurry  having  proceeded 
without  their  rifles;  but  there  was  no  means  of  using 
them,  or  of  passing  them  to  the  hands  of  their  owners. 
The  combatants  were  literally  caged,  rendering  it  almost 
as  impossible,  under  the  circumstances,  to  get  out,  as  to 
get  into  the  building.  Then  there  was  Hist  to  embarrass 
his  movements,  and  to  cripple  his  efforts.  With  a  view 
22 


338  THE   DEERSLAYER 

to  relieve  himself  from  this  disadvantage,  he  told  the 
girl  to  take  the  remaining  canoe,  and  to  join  Hutter's 
daughters,  who  were  incautiously  but  deliberately  ap 
proaching,  in  order  to  save  herself  and  to  warn  the  others 
of  their  danger.  But  the  girl  positively  and  firmly 
refused  to  comply.  At  that  moment,  no  human  power, 
short  of  an  exercise  of  superior  physical  force,  could  have 
induced  her  to  quit  the  ark.  The  exigency  of  the  moment 
did  not  admit  of  delay,  and  the  Delaware,  seeing  no  pos 
sibility  of  serving  his  friends,  cut  the  line,  and  by  a 
strong  shove  forced  the  scow  some  twenty  feet  clear  of 
the  piles.  Here  he  took  the  sweeps  and  succeeded  in 
getting  a  short  distance  to  windward,  if  any  direction 
could  be  thus  termed  in  so  light  an  air,  but  neither  the 
time,  nor  his  skill  at  the  oars,  allowed  the  distance  to  be 
great.  When  he  ceased  rowing  the  ark  might  have  been 
a  hundred  yards  from  the  platform,  and  half  that  distance 
to  the  southward  of  it,  the  sail  being  lowered.  Judith 
and  Hetty  had  now  discovered  that  something  was  wrong, 
and  were  stationary  a  thousand  feet  further  north. 

All  this  while  the  furious  struggle  continued  within 
the  house.  In  scenes  like  these,  events  thicken  in  less 
time  than  they  can  be  related.  From  the  moment  when 
the  first  fall  was  heard  within  the  building,  to  that  when 
the  Delaware  ceased  his  awkward  attempts  to  row,  it 
might  have  been  three  or  four  minutes,  but  it  had  evi 
dently  served  to  weaken  the  combatants.  The  oaths  and 
execrations  of  Hurry  were  no  longer  heard,  and  even  the 
struggles  had  lost  some  of  their  force  and  fury;  neverthe 
less,  they  still  continued  with  unabated  perseverance.  At 
this  instant  the  door  flew  open  and  the  fight  was  trans 
ferred  to  the  platform,  the  light,  and  the  open  air. 

A  Huron  had  undone  the  fastenings  of  the  door,  and 
three  or  four  of  his  tribe  rushed  after  him  upon  the  nar 
row  space,  as  if  glad  to  escape  from  some  terrible  scene 
within.  The  body  of  another  followed,  pitched  headlong 
through  the  door,  with  terrific  violence.  Then  March 
appeared,  raging  like  a  lion  at  bay,  and  for  an  instant 
freed  from  his  numerous  enemies.  Hutter  was  already  a 
captive  and  bound.  There  was  now  a  pause  in  the  strug 
gle,  which  resembled  a  lull  in  a  tempest.  The  necessity 


THE   DEERSLAYER  339 

of  breathing  was  common  to  all,  and  the  combatants  stood 
watching-  each  other,  like  mastiffs  that  have  been  driven 
from  their  holds,  and  are  waiting  for  a  favorable  oppor 
tunity  of  renewing  them.  We  shall  profit  by  this  pause 
to  relate  the  manner  in  which  the  Indians  had  obtained 
possession  of  the  castle;  and  this  the  more  willingly,  be 
cause  it  may  be  necessary  to  explain  to  the  reader,  why  a 
conflict  which  had  been  so  close  and  fierce,  should  have 
also  been  so  comparatively  bloodless. 

Rivenoak  and  his  companion,  particularly  the  latter, 
who  had  appeared  to  be  a  subordinate  and  occupied  solely 
with  his  raft,  had  made  the  closest  observations  in  their 
visits  to  the  castle;  even  the  boy  had  brought  away  min 
ute  and  valuable  information.  By  these  means  the  Hurona 
obtained  a  general  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  the  place 
was  constructed  and  secured,  as  well  as  of  details  that 
enabled  them  to  act  intelligently  in  the  dark.  Notwith 
standing  the  care  that  Hutter  had  taken  to  drop  the  ark 
on  the  east  side  of  the  building,  when  he  was  in  the  act  of 
transferring  the  furniture  from  the  former  to  the  latter, 
he  had  been  watched  in  a  way  to  render  the  precaution 
useless.  Scouts  were  on  the  lookout  on  the  eastern  as 
well  as  on  the  western  shore  of  the  lake,  and  the  whole 
proceeding  had  been  noted.  As  soon  as  it  was  dark,  rafts 
like  that  already  described  approached  from  both  shores 
to  reconnoitre,  and  the  ark  had  passed  within  fifty  feet 
of  one  of  them,  without  its  being  discovered;  the  men  it 
held,  lying  at  their  length  on  the  logs,  so  as  to  blend 
themselves  and  their  slow-moving  machine  with  the 
water.  When  these  two  sets  of  adventurers  drew  near  the 
castle,  they  encountered  each  other,  and  after  communi 
cating  their  respective  observations,  they  unhesitatingly 
approached  the  building.  As  had  been  expected  it  was 
found  empty.  The  rafts  were  immediately  sent  for  a 
reinforcement  to  the  shore,  and  two  of  the  savages  re 
mained  to  profit  by  their  situation.  These  men  succeeded 
in  getting  on  the  roof,  and  by  removing  some  of  the 
bark,  in  entering  what  might  be  termed  the  garret.  Here 
they  were  found  by  their  companions.  Hatchets  now 
opened  a  hole  through  the  square  logs  of  the  upper  floor, 
through  which  no  less  than  eight  of  the  most  athletic  of 


340  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  Indians  dropped  into  the  room  beneath.  Here  they 
were  left,  well  supplied  with  arms  and  provisions,  either 
to  stand  a  siege,  or  to  make  a  sortie,  as  the  case  might 
require.  The  night  was  passed  in  sleep,  as  is  usual  with 
Indians  in  a  state  of  inactivity.  The  returning  day 
brought  them  a  view  of  the  approach  of  the  ark,  through 
the  loops,  the  only  manner  in  which  light  and  air  were 
now  admitted,  the  windows  being  closed  most  effectually 
with  plank,  rudely  fashioned  to  fit.  As  soon  as  it  was 
ascertained  that  the  two  white  men  were  about  to  enter 
by  the  trap,  the  chief,  who  directed  the  proceedings  of 
the  Hurons,  took  his  measures  accordingly.  He  removed 
all  the  arms  from  his  own  people,  even  to  the  knives,  in 
distrust  of  savage  ferocity  when  awakened  by  personal 
injuries,  and  he  hid  them  where  they  could  not  be  found 
without  a  search.  Ropes  of  bark  were  then  prepared, 
and  taking  their  stations  in  the  three  different  rooms, 
they  all  waited  for  the  signal  to  fall  upon  their  intended 
captives.  As  soon  as  the  party  had  entered  the  building, 
men  without  replaced  the  bark  of  the  roof,  removed 
every  sign  of  their  visit  with  care,  and  then  departed  for 
the  shore.  It  was  one  of  these  who  had  dropped  his 
moccasin,  which  he  had  not  been  able  to  find  again  in  the 
dark.  Had  the  death  of  the  girl  been  known,  it  is  prob 
able  nothing  could  have  saved  the  lives  of  Hurry  and 
Hutter;  but  that  event  occurred  after  the  ambush  was 
laid,  and  at  a  distance  of  several  miles  from  the  encamp 
ment  near  the  castle.  Such  were  the  means  that  had  been 
employed  to  produce  the  state  of  things  we  shall  continue 
to  describe. 


CHAPTER  XX 

"  Now  all  is  done  that  man  can  do, 

And  all  is  done  in  vain  ! 
My  love  !  my  native  land,  adieu, 
For  I  must  cross  the  main  ; 
My  dear, 
For  I  must  cross  the  main." 

—SCOTTISH  BALLAD. 

IN  the  last  chapter  we  left  the  combatants  breathing 
in  their  narrow  lists.  Accustomed  to  the  rude  sports  of 
wrestling  and  jumping,  then  so  common  in  America, 
more  especially  on  the  frontiers,  Hurry  possessed  an 
advantage,  in  addition  to  his  prodigious  strength,  that 
had  rendered  the  struggle  less  unequal  than  it  might 
otherwise  appear  to  be.  This  alone  had  enabled  him  to 
hold  out  so  long  against  so  many  enemies;  for  the  Indian 
is  by  no  means  remarkable  for  his  skill  or  force  in  ath 
letic  exercises.  As  yet,  no  one  had  been  seriously  hurt, 
though  several  of  the  savages  had  received  severe  falls; 
and  he,  in  particular,  who  had  been  thrown  bodily  upon 
the  platform,  might  be  said  to  be  temporarily  hors  de 
combat.  Some  of  the  rest  were  limping;  and  March  him 
self  had  not  entirely  escaped  from  bruises,  though  want 
of  breath  was  the  principal  loss  that  both  sides  wished  to 
repair. 

Under  circumstances  like  those  in  which  the  parties 
were  placed,  a  truce,  let  it  come  from  what  cause  it 
might,  could  not  well  be  of  long  continuance.  The  arena 
was  too  confined,  and  the  distrust  of  treachery  too  great, 
to  admit  of  this.  Contrary  to  what  might  be  expected  in 
his  situation,  Hurry  was  the  first  to  recommence  hostili 
ties.  Whether  this  proceeded  from  policy  or  an  idea 
that  he  might  gain  some  advantage  by  making  a  sudden 
and  unexpected  assault,  or  was  the  fruit  of  irritation  and 
his  undying  hatred  of  an  Indian,  it  is  impossible  to  say. 
His  onset  was  furious,  however,  and  at  first  it  carried  all 
before  it.  He  seized  the  nearest  Huron  by  the  waist, 

341 


342  THE   DEERSLAYER 

raised  him  entirely  from  the  platform,  and  hurled  him 
into  the  water  as  if  he  had  been  a  child.  In  half  a  min 
ute  two  more  were  at  his  side,  one  of  whom  received  a 
grave  injury  by  falling  on  the  friend  who  had  just  pre 
ceded  him.  But  four  enemies  remained,  and  in  a  hand- 
to-hand  conflict,  in  which  no  arms  were  used  but  those 
which  nature  had  furnished,  Hurry  believed  himself  fully 
able  to  cope  with  that  number  of  red-skins. 

"Hurrah!  Old  Tom,"  he  shouted;  "the  rascals  are 
taking  to  the  lake,  and  I'll  soon  have  'em  all  swimming!" 
As  these  words  were  uttered,  a  violent  kick  in  the  face 
sent  back  the  injured  Indian,  who  had  caught  at  the  edge 
of  the  platform  and  was  endeavoring  to  raise  himself  to 
its  level,  helplessly  and  hopelessly  into  the  water.  When 
the  affray  was  over,  his  dark  body  was  seen  through  the 
limpid  element  of  the  Glimmerglass,  lying,  with  out 
stretched  arms,  extended  on  the  bottom  of  the  shoal  on 
which  the  castle  stood,  clinging  to  the  sands  and  weeds 
as  if  life  were  to  be  retained  by  this  frenzied  grasp  of 
death.  A  blow,  sent  into  the  pit  of  another's  stomach, 
doubled  him  up  like  a  worm  that  had  been  trodden  on; 
and  but  two  able-bodied  foes  remained  to  be  dealt  with. 
One  of  these,  however,  was  not  only  the  largest  and 
strongest  of  the  Hurons,  but  he  was  also  the  most  experi 
enced  of  the  warriors  present,  and  that  one  whose  sinews 
were  the  best  strung  in  fights,  and  by  marches  on  the 
war-path.  This  man  fully  appreciated  the  gigantic 
strength  of  his  opponent,  and  had  carefully  husbanded 
his  own.  He  was  also  equipped  in  the  best  manner  for 
such  a  conflict,  standing  in  nothing  but  his  breech-cloth, 
the  model  of  a  naked  and  beautiful  statue  of  agility  and 
strength.  To  grasp  him  required  additional  dexterity  and 
unusual  force.  Still  Hurry  did  not  hesitate;  but  the  kick, 
that  had  actually  destroyed  one  fellow  creature,  was  no 
sooner  given  than  he  closed  in  with  this  formidable  an 
tagonist,  endeavoring  to  force  him  into  the  water  also. 
The  struggle  that  succeeded  was  truly  frightful.  So 
fierce  did  it  immediately  become,  and  so  quick  and 
changeful  were  the  evolutions  of  the  athletes,  that  the 
remaining  savage  had  no  chance  for  interfering,  had  he 
possessed  the  desire;  but  wonder  and  apprehension  held 


THE   DEERSLAYER  343 

him  spellbound.  He  was  an  inexperienced  youth,  and  his 
blood  curdled  as  he  witnessed  the  fell  strife  of  human 
passions,  exhibited,  too,  in  an  unaccustomed  form. 

Hurry  first  attempted  to  throw  his  antagonist.  With 
this  view  he  seized  him  by  the  throat  and  an  arm,  and 
tripped  with  the  force  of  an  American  borderer.  The 
effect  was  frustrated  by  the  agile  movements  of  the 
Huron,  who  had  clothes  to  grasp  by,  and  whose  feet 
avoided  the  attempt  with  a  nimbleness  equal  to  that  with 
which  it  was  made.  Then  followed  a  sort  of  melee,  if 
such  a  term  can  be  applied  to  a  struggle  between  two,  in 
which  no  efforts  were  distinctly  visible,  the  limbs  and 
bodies  of  the  combatants  assuming  so  many  attitudes  and 
contortions,  as  to  defeat  observation.  This  confused  but 
fierce  rally  lasted  less  than  a  minute,  however,  when 
Hurry,  furious  at  having  his  strength  baffled  by  the  agil 
ity  and  nakedness  of  his  foe,  made  a  desperate  effort, 
which  sent  the  Huron  from  him,  hurling  his  body  violently 
against  the  logs  of  the  hut.  The  concussion  was  so  great 
as  momentarily  to  confuse  the  latter's  faculties.  The 
pain,  too,  extorted  a  deep  groan;  an  unusual  concession 
to  agony,  to  escape  a  red  man  in  the  heat  of  battle.  Still 
he  rushed  forward  again,  to  meet  his  enemy,  conscious 
that  his  safety  rested  on  his  resolution.  Hurry  now  seized 
the  other  by  the  waist,  raised  him  bodily  from  the  plat 
form,  and  fell  with  his  own  great  weight  on  the  form 
beneath.  This  additional  shock  so  far  stunned  the  suf 
ferer,  that  his  gigantic  white  opponent  now  had  him 
completely  at  his  mercy.  Passing  his  hands  round  the 
throat  of  his  victim,  he  compressed  them  with  the  strength 
of  a  vice,  fairly  doubling  the  head  of  the  Huron  over  the 
edge  of  the  platform,  until  the  chin  was  uppermost,  with 
the  infernal  strength  he  expended.  An  instant  sufficed  to 
show  the  consequences.  The  eyes  of  the  sufferer  seemed 
to  start  forward,  his  tongue  protruded,  and  his  nostrils 
dilated  nearly  to  splitting.  At  this  instant  a  rope  of 
bark,  having  an  eye,  was  passed  dexterously  within  the 
two  arms  of  Hurry;  the  end  threaded  the  eye,  forming  a 
noose,  and  his  elbows  were  drawn  together  behind  his 
back,  with  a  power  that  all  his  gigantic  strength  could 
not  resist.  Reluctantly,  even  under  such  circumstances, 


344  THE   DEERSLAYER 

did  the  exasperated  borderer  see  his  hands  drawn  from 
their  deadly  grasp,  for  all  the  evil  passions  were  then  in 
the  ascendant.  Almost  at  the  same  instant,  a  similar 
fastening  secured  his  ankles,  and  his  body  was  rolled  to 
the  center  of  the  platform  as  helplessly,  and  as  cavalierly, 
as  if  it  were  a  log  of  wood.  His  rescued  antagonist, 
however,  did  not  rise,  for  while  he  began  again  to  breathe 
his  head  still  hung  helplessly  over  the  edge  of  the  logs, 
and  it  was  thought  at  first  that  his  neck  was  dislocated. 
He  recovered  gradually  only,  and  it  was  hours  before  he 
could  walk.  Some  fancied  that  neither  his  body  nor  his 
mind  ever  totally  recovered  from  this  near  approach  to 
death. 

Hurry  owed  his  defeat  and  capture  to  the  intensity 
with  which  he  had  concentrated  all  his  powers  on  his  fal 
len  foe.  While  thus  occupied,  the  two  Indians  he  had 
hurled  into  the  water  mounted  to  the  heads  of  the  piles, 
along  which  they  passed,  and  joined  their  companion  on 
the  platform.  The  latter  had  so  far  rallied  his  faculties 
as  to  have  got  the  ropes,  which  were  in  readiness  for  use 
as  the  others  appeared,  and  they  were  applied  in  the 
manner  related,  as  Hurry  lay  pressing  his  enemy  down 
with  his  whole  weight,  intent  only  on  the  horrible  office 
of  strangling  him.  Thus  were  the  tables  turned  in  a 
single  moment;  he  who  had  been  so  near  achieving  a  vic 
tory  that  would  have  been  renowned  for  ages,  by  means 
of  tradition,  throughout  all  that  region,  lying  helpless, 
bound,  and  a  captive.  So  fearful  had  been  the  efforts  of 
the  pale  face,  and  so  prodigious  the  strength  he  exhib 
ited,  that  even  as  he  lay,  tethered  like  a  sheep  before 
them,  they  regarded  him  with  respect,  and  not  without 
dread.  The  helpless  body  of  their  stoutest  warrior  was 
still  stretched  on  the  platform;  and,  as  they  cast  their 
eyes  towards  the  lake,  in  quest  of  the  comrade  that  had 
been  hurled  into  it  so  unceremoniously,  and  of  whom  they 
had  lost  sight  in  the  confusion  of  the  fray,  they  perceived 
his  lifeless  form  clinging  to  the  grass  on  the  bottom,  as 
already  described.  These  several  circumstances  contrib 
uted  to  render  the  victory  of  the  Hurons  almost  as  astound 
ing  to  themselves  as  a  defeat. 

Chingachgook  and  his  betrothed  witnessed  the  whole  of 


THE   DEERSLAYER  345 

this  struggle  from  the  ark.  When  the  three  Hurons  were 
about  to  pass  the  cords  around  the  arms  of  the  prostrate 
Hurry,  the  Delaware  sought  his  rifle;  but,  before  he  could 
use  it,  the  white  man  was  bound,  and  the  mischief  was 
done.  He  might  still  bring  down  an  enemy,  but  to  obtain 
the  scalp  was  impossible;  and  the  young  chief,  who  would 
so  freely  risk  his  own  life  to  obtain  such  a  trophy,  hesi 
tated  about  taking  that  of  a  foe,  without  such  an  object 
in  view.  A  glance  at  Hist,  and  the  recollection  of  what 
might  follow,  checked  any  transient  wish  for  revenge. 
The  reader  has  been  told  that  Chingachgook  could  scarcely 
be  said  to  know  how  to  manage  the  oars  of  the  ark  at  all, 
however  expert  he  might  be  in  the  use  of  the  paddle. 
Perhaps  there  is  no  manual  labor  at  which  men  are  so 
bungling  and  awkward,  as  in  their  first  attempts  to  pull 
an  oar,  even  the  experienced  mariner,  or  boatman,  break 
ing  down  in  his  efforts  to  figure  with  the  celebrated  nil- 
lock  of  the  gondolier.  In  short,  it  is  temporarily  an 
impracticable  thing  for  a  new  beginner  to  succeed  with  a 
single  oar;  but,  in  this  case,  it  was  necessary  to  handle 
two  at  the  same  time,  and  those  of  great  size.  Sweeps, 
or  large  oars,  however,  are  sooner  rendered  of  use  by  the 
raw  hand  than  lighter  implements,  and  this  was  the  reason 
that  the  Delaware  had  succeeded  in  moving  the  ark  as 
well  as  he  did,  in  a  first  trial.  That  trial,  notwithstand 
ing,  sufficed  to  produce  distrust,  and  he  was  fully  aware 
of  the  critical  situation  in  which  Hist  and  himself  were 
now  placed,  should  the  Hurons  take  to  the  canoe  that  was 
still  lying  beneath  the  trap,  and  come  against  them.  At 
one  moment  he  thought  of  putting  Hist  into  the  canoe  in 
his  own  possession,  and  of  taking  to  the  eastern  mountain, 
in  the  hope  of  reaching  the  Delaware  villages  by  direct 
flight.  But  many  considerations  suggested  themselves  to 
put  a  stop  to  this  indiscreet  step.  It  was  almost  certain 
that  scouts  watched  the  lake  on  both  sides,  and  no  canoe 
could  possibly  approach  the  shore  without  being  seen  from 
the  hills.  Then  a  trail  could  not  be  concealed  from  Indian 
eyes,  and  the  strength  of  Hist  was  unequal  to  a  flight 
sufficiently  sustained  to  outstrip  the  pursuit  of  trained 
warriors.  This  was  a  part  of  America  in  which  the 
Indians  did  not  know  the  use  of  horses,  and  everything 


346  THE   DEERSLAYER 

would  depend  on  the  physical  energies  of  the  fugitives. 
Last,  but  far  from  being  least,  were  the  thoughts  con 
nected  with  the  situation  of  Deerslayer,  a  friend  who  was 
not  to  be  deserted  in  his  extremity. 

Hist,  in  some  particulars,  reasoned,  and  even  felt, 
differently,  though  she  arrived  at  the  same  conclusions. 
Her  own  danger  disturbed  her  less  than  her  concern  for 
the  two  sisters,  in  whose  behalf  her  womanly  sympathies 
were  now  strongly  enlisted.  The  canoe  of  the  girls,  by 
the  time  the  struggle  on  the  platform  had  ceased,  was 
within  three  hundred  yards  of  the  castle,  and  here  Judith 
ceased  paddling,  the  evidences  of  strife  first  becoming 
apparent  to  the  eyes.  She  and  Hetty  were  standing  erect, 
anxiously  endeavoring  to  ascertain  what  had  occurred, 
but  unable  to  satisfy  their  doubts,  from  the  circumstance 
that  the  building,  in  a  great  measure,  concealed  the  scene 
of  action. 

The  parties  in  the  ark  and  in  the  canoe  were  indebted 
to  the  ferocity  of  Hurry's  attack,  for  their  momentary 
security.  In  any  ordinary  case  the  girls  would  have  been 
immediately  captured;  a  measure  easy  of  execution,  now 
the  savages  had  a  canoe,  were  it  not  for  the  rude  check 
the  audacity  of  the  Hurons  had  received,  in  the  recent 
struggle.  It  required  some  little  time  to  recover  from 
the  effects  of  this  violent  scene;  and  this  so  much  the 
more,  because  the  principal  man  of  the  party,  in  the  way 
of  personal  prowess  at  least,  had  been  so  great  a  sufferer. 
Still  it  was  of  the  last  importance  that  Judith  and  her 
sister  should  seek  immediate  refuge  in  the  ark,  where  the 
defenses  offered  a  temporary  shelter  at  least ;  and  the  first 
step  was  to  devise  the  means  of  inducing  them  to  do  so. 
Hist  showed  herself  in  the  stern  of  the  scow,  and  made 
many  gestures  and  signs,  in  vain,  in  order  to  induce  the 
girls  to  make  a  circuit  to  avoid  the  castle,  and  to  ap 
proach  the  ark  from  the  eastward.  But  these  signs  were 
distrusted  or  misunderstood.  It  is  probable  Judith  was 
not  yet  sufficiently  aware  of  the  real  state  of  things,  to 
put  full  confidence  in  either  party.  Instead  of  doing  as 
desired,  she  rather  kept  more  aloof;  paddling  slowly  back 
to  the  north,  or  into  the  broadest  part  of  the  lake,  where 
she  could  command  the  widest  view,  and  had  the  fairest 


THE   DEERSLAYER  347 

field  for  fight  before  her.  At  this  instant  the  sun  ap 
peared  above  the  pines  of  the  eastern  range  of  mountains, 
and  a  light  southerly  breeze  arose,  as  was  usual  enough 
at  that  season  and  hour. 

Chingachgook  lost  no  time  in  hoisting  the  sail.  What 
ever  might  be  in  reserve  for  him,  there  could  be  no  ques 
tion  that  it  was  everyway  desirable  to  get  the  ark  at  such 
a  distance  from  the  castle,  as  to  reduce  his  enemies  to  the 
necessity  of  approaching  the  former  in  the  canoe,  which 
the  chances  of  war  had  so  inopportunely  for  his  wishes 
and  security  thrown  into  their  hands.  The  appearance 
of  the  opening  duck  seemed  first  to  arouse  the  Hurons 
from  their  apathy;  and  by  the  time  the  head  of  the  scow 
had  fallen  off  before  the  wind,  which  it  did  unfortunately 
in  the  wrong  direction,  bringing  it  within  a  few  yards  of 
the  platform,  Hist  found  it  necessary  to  warn  her  lover 
of  the  importance  of  covering  his  person  against  the  rifles 
of  his  foes.  This  was  a  danger  to  be  avoided  under  all 
circumstances,  and  so  much  the  more,  because  the  Dela 
ware  found  that  Hist  would  not  take  to  the  cover  herself, 
so  long  as  he  remained  exposed.  Accordingly,  Chingach 
gook  abandoned  the  scow  to  its  own  movements,  forced 
Hist  into  the  cabin,  the  doors  of  which  he  immediately 
secured,  and  then  he  looked  about  him  for  the  rifles. 

The  situation  of  the  parties  was  now  so  singular  as  to 
merit  a  particular  description.  The  ark  was  within  sixty 
yards  of  the  castle,  a  little  to  the  southward,  or  to  wind 
ward  of  it,  with  its  sail  full,  and  the  steering  oar  aban 
doned.  The  latter,  fortunately,  was  loose,  so  that  it 
produced  no  great  influence  on  the  crab-like  movement 
of  the  unwieldy  craft.  The  sail  being  set,  as  sailors 
term  it,  flying,  or  having  no  braces,  the  air  forced  the 
yard  forward  though  both  sheets  were  fast.  The  effect 
was  threefold  on  a  boat  with  a  bottom  that  was  perfectly 
flat,  and  which  drew  merely  some  three  or  four  inches  of 
water.  It  pressed  the  head  round  to  leeward,  it  forced 
the  whole  fabric  bodily  in  the  same  direction  at  the  same 
time,  and  the  water  that  unavoidably  gathered  under  the 
lee  gave  the  scow  also  a  forward  movement.  All  these 
changes  were  exceedingly  slow,  however,  for  the  wind 
was  not  only  light,  but  it  was  baffling  as  usual,  and  twice 


348  THE   DEERSLAYER 

or  thrice  the  sail  shook.  Once  it  was  absolutely  taken 
aback. 

Had  there  been  any  keel  to  the  ark,  it  would  inevitably 
have  run  foul  of  the  platform,  bows  on,  when  it  is  prob 
able  nothing  could  have  prevented  the  Hurons  from  carry 
ing  it;  more  particularly  as  the  sail  would  have  enabled 
them  to  approach  under  cover.  As  it  was,  the  scow  wore 
slowly  round,  barely  clearing  that  part  of  the  building. 
The  piles  projecting  several  feet,  they  were  not  cleared, 
but  the  head  of  the  slow-moving  craft  caught  between 
two  of  them  by  one  of  its  square  corners,  and  hung.  At 
this  moment  the  Delaware  was  vigilantly  watching 
through  a  loop  for  an  opportunity  to  fire,  while  the 
Hurons  kept  within  the  building,  similarly  occupied. 
The  exhausted  warrior  reclined  against  the  hut,  there 
having  been  no  time  to  remove  him,  and  Hurry  lay, 
almost  as  helpless  as  a  log,  tethered  like  a  sheep  on  its 
way  to  the  slaughter,  near  the  middle  of  the  platform. 
Chingachgook  could  have  slain  the  first  at  any  moment, 
but  his  scalp  would  have  been  safe,  and  the  young  chief 
disdained  to  strike  a  blow  that  could  lead  to  neither 
honor  nor  advantage. 

"Run  out  one  of  the  poles,  Sarpent,  if  Sarpent  'you 
be,"  said  Hurry,  amid  the  groans  that  the  tightness  of 
the  ligatures  was  beginning  to  extort  from  him;  "run 
out  one  of  the  poles,  and  shove  the  head  of  the  scow  off, 
and  you'll  drift  clear  of  us — and,  when  you've  done  that 
good  turn  for  yourself,  just  finish  this  gagging  black 
guard  for  me. ' ' 

The  appeal  of  Hurry,  however,  had  no  other  effect  than 
to  draw  the  attention  of  Hist  to  his  situation.  This 
quick-witted  creature  comprehended  it  at  a  glance.  His 
ankles  were  bound  with  several  turns  of  stout  bark  rope, 
and  his  arms,  above  the  elbows,  were  similarly  secured 
behind  his  back,  barely  leaving  him  a  little  play  of  the 
hands  and  wrists.  Putting  her  mouth  near  a  loop,  she 
said,  in  a  low  but  distinct  voice: 

"Why  you  don't  roll  here,  and  fall  in  scow?  Chingach 
gook  shoot  Huron  if  he  chase!" 

"By  the  Lord,  gal,  that's  a  judgmatical  thought,  and 
it  shall  be  tried,  if  the  starn  of  your  scow  will  come 


THE   DEERSLAYER  349 

a  little  nearer.    Put  a  bed  at  the  bottom  for  me  to  fall 
on." 

This  was  said  at  a  happy  moment,  for,  tired  of  waiting, 
all  the  Indians  made  a  rapid  discharge  of  their  rifles, 
almost  simultaneously,  injuring  no  one,  though  several 
bullets  passed  through  the  loops.  Hist  had  heard  part  of 
Hurry's  words,  but  most  of  what  he  said  was  lost  in  the 
sharp  reports  of  the  firearms.  She  undid  the  bar  of  the 
door  that  led  to  the  stern  of  the  scow,  but  did  not  dare  to 
expose  her  person.  All  this  time  the  head  of  the  ark 
hung,  but  by  a  gradually  decreasing  hold,  as  the  other 
end  swung  slowly  round,  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  platform, 
Hurry,  who  now  lay  with  his  face  towards  the  ark, 
occasionally  writhing  and  turning  over  like  one  in  pain, 
evolutions  he  had  performed  ever  since  he  was  secured, 
watched  every  change,  and  at  last  he  saw  the  whole  vessel 
was  free,  and  was  beginning  to  grate  slowly  along  the 
sides  of  the  piles.  The  attempt  was  desperate,  but  it 
seemed  the  only  chance  for  escaping  torture  and  death, 
and  it  suited  the  reckless  daring  of  the  man's  character. 
Waiting  to  the  last  moment,  in  order  that  the  stern  of  the 
scow  might  fairly  rub  against  the  platform,  he  began  to 
writhe  again,  as  if  in  intolerable  suffering,  execrating  all 
Indians  in  general,  and  the  Hurons  in  particular,  and 
then  he  suddenly  and  rapidly  rolled  over  and  over,  taking 
the  direction  of  the  stern  of  the  scow.  Unfortunately, 
Hurry's  shoulders  required  more  space  to  revolve  in  than 
his  feet,  and  by  the  time  he  reached  the  edge  of  the  plat 
form,  his  direction  had  so  far  changed  as  to  carry  him 
clear  of  the  ark  altogether;  and  the  rapidity  of  his  revo 
lutions,  and  the  emergency,  admitting  of  no  delay,  he  fell 
into  the  water.  At  this  instant,  Chingachgook,  by  an 
understanding  with  his  betrothed,  drew  the  fire  of  the 
Hurons  again,  not  a  man  of  whom  saw  the  manner  in 
which  one  whom  they  knew  to  be  effectually  tethered, 
had  disappeared.  But  Hist's  feelings  were  strongly 
interested  in  the  success  of  so  bold  a  scheme,  and  she 
watched  the  movements  of  Hurry  as  the  cat  watches  the 
mouse.  The  moment  he  was  in  motion  she  foresaw  the 
consequences,  and  this  the  more  readily,  as  the  scow  was 
now  beginning  to  move  with  steadiness,  and  she  bethought 


350  THE   DEERSLAYER 

her  of  the  means  of  saving  him.  With  a  sort  of  instinc 
tive  readiness,  she  opened  the  door  at  the  very  moment 
the  rifles  were  ringing  in  her  ears,  and  protected  by  the 
intervening  cabin  she  stepped  into  the  stern  of  the  scow  in 
time  to  witness  the  fall  of  Hurry  into  the  lake.  Her  foot 
was  unconsciously  placed  on  the  end  of  one  of  the  sheets 
of  the  sail,  which  was  fastened  aft,  and  catching  up  all 
the  spare  rope,  with  the  awkwardness,  but  also  with  the 
generous  resolution  of  a  woman,  she  threw  it  in  the  di 
rection  of  the  helpless  Hurry.  The  line  fell  on  the  head 
and  body  of  the  sinking  man,  and  he  not  only  succeeded 
in  grasping  separate  parts  of  it  with  his  hands,  but  he 
actually  got  a  portion  of  it  between  his  teeth.  Hurry  was 
an  expert  swimmer,  and,  tethered  as  he  was,  he  resorted 
to  the  very  expedient  that  philosophy  and  reflection 
would  have  suggested.  He  had  fallen  on  his  back,  and 
instead  of  floundering  and  drowning  himself  by  desperate 
efforts  to  walk  on  the  water,  he  permitted  his  body  to 
sink  as  low  as  possible,  and  was  already  submerged,  with 
the  exception  of  his  face,  when  the  line  reached  him.  In 
this  situation  he  might  possibly  have  remained  until  res 
cued  by  the  Hurons,  using  his  hands  as  fishes  use  their 
fins,  had  he  received  no  other  succor;  but  the  movement 
of  the  ark  soon  tightened  the  rope,  and  of  course  he  was 
dragged  gently  ahead,  holding  even  pace  with  the  scow. 
The  motion  aided  in  keeping  his  face  above  the  surface 
of  the  water,  and  it  would  have  been  possible  for  one  ac 
customed  to  endurance  to  have  been  towed  a  mile  in  this 
singular  but  simple  manner. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  Hurons  did  not  observe  the 
sudden  disappearance  of  Hurry.  In  his  present  situation, 
he  was  not  only  hid  from  view  by  the  platform,  but  as  the 
ark  drew  slowly  ahead,  impelled  by  a  sail  that  was  now 
filled,  he  received  the  same  friendly  service  from  the 
piles.  The  Hurons,  indeed,  were  too  intent  on  endeavor 
ing  to  slay  their  Delaware  foe,  by  sending  a  bullet  through 
some  one  of  the  loops  or  crevices  of  the  cabin,  to  bethink 
them  at  all  of  one  whom  they  fancied  so  thoroughly  tied. 
Their  great  concern  was,  the  manner  in  which  the  ark 
rubbed  past  the  piles,  although  its  motion  was  lessened  at 
least  one-half  by  the  friction,  and  they  passed  into  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  351 

northern  end  of  the  castle,  in  order  to  catch  opportunities 
of  firing  through  the  loops  of  that  part  of  the  building. 
Chingachgook  was  similarly  occupied,  and  remained  as 
ignorant  as  his  enemies  of  the  situation  of  Hurry.  As  the 
ark  grated  along  the  rifles  sent  their  little  clouds  of  smoke 
from  one  cover  to  the  other,  but  the  eyes  and  movements 
of  the  opposing  parties  were  too  quick  to  permit  any  in 
jury  to  be  done.  At  length  one  side  had  the  mortification, 
and  the  other  the  pleasure,  of  seeing  the  scow  swing  clear 
of  the  piles  altogether,  when  it  immediately  moved  away 
with  a  materially  accelerated  motion,  towards  the  north. 
Chingachgook  now  first  learned  from  Hist  the  critical 
condition  of  Hurry.  To  have  exposed  either  of  their  per 
sons  in  the  stern  of  the  scow  would  have  been  certain 
death;  but,  fortunately,  the  sheet  to  which  the  man  clung, 
led  forward  to  the  foot  of  the  sail.  The  Delaware  found 
means  to  unloosen  it  from  the  cleat  aft;  and  Hist,  who 
was  already  forward  for  that  purpose,  immediately  began 
to  pull  upon  the  line.  At  this  moment  Hurry  was  towing 
fifty  or  sixty  feet  astern,  with  nothing  but  his  face  above 
water.  As  he  was  dragged  out  clear  of  the  castle  and  the 
piles,  he  was  first  perceived  by  the  Hurons,  who  raised  a 
hideous  yell,  and  commenced  a  fire  on  what  may  very  well 
be  termed  the  floating  mass.  It  was  at  the  same  instant 
that  Hist  began  to  pull  upon  the  line  forward — a  circum 
stance  that  probably  saved  Hurry's  life,  aided  by  his  own 
self-possession  and  border  readiness.  The  first  bullet 
struck  the  water  directly  on  the  spot  where  the  broad 
chest  of  the  young  giant  was  visible  through  the  pure 
element,  and  might  have  pierced  his  heart  had  the  angle 
at  which  it  was  fired  been  less  acute.  Instead  of  pene 
trating  the  lake,  however,  it  glanced  from  its  smooth 
surface,  rose,  and  actually  buried  itself  in  the  logs  of  the 
cabin,  near  the  spot  at  which  Chingachgook  had  shown 
himself  the  minute  before,  while  clearing  the  line  from 
the  cleat.  A  second,  and  a  third,  and  a  fourth  bullet 
followed,  all  meeting  with  the  same  resistance  from  the 
surface  of  the  water;  though  Hurry  sensibly  felt  the  vio 
lence  of  the  blows  they  struck  upon  the  lake  so  imme 
diately  above,  and  so  near  his  breast.  Discovering  their 
mistake,  the  Hurons  now  changed  their  plan,  and  aimed 


352  THE   DEERSLAYER 

at  the  uncovered  face;  but  by  this  time,  Hist  was  pulling 
on  the  line,  the  target  advanced,  and  the  deadly  missiles 
still  fell  upon  the  water.  In  another  moment  the  body 
was  dragged  past  the  end  of  the  scow,  and  became  con 
cealed.  As  for  the  Delaware  and  Hist,  they  worked  per 
fectly  covered  by  the  cabin,  and  in  less  time  than  it 
requires  to  tell  it  they  had  hauled  the  huge  frame  of 
Hurry  to  the  place  they  occupied.  Chingachgook  stood 
in  readiness  with  his  keen  knife,  and  bending  over  the 
side  of  the  scow,  he  soon  severed  the  bark  that  bound  the 
limbs  of  the  borderer.  To  raise  him  high  enough  to  reach 
the  edge  of  the  boat,  and  to  aid  him  in  entering,  were 
less  easy  tasks,  as  Hurry's  arms  were  still  nearly  useless; 
but  both  were  done  in  time,  when  the  liberated  man 
staggered  forward,  and  fell,  exhausted  and  helpless,  into 
the  bottom  of  the  scow.  Here  we  shall  leave  him  to  re 
cover  his  strength  and  the  due  circulation  of  his  blood, 
while  we  proceed  with  the  narrative  of  events  that  crowd 
upon  us  too  fast  to  admit  of  any  postponement. 

The  moment  the  Hurons  lost  sight  of  the  body  of 
Hurry,  they  gave  a  common  yell  of  disappointment,  and 
three  of  the  most  active  of  their  number  ran  to  the  trap 
and  entered  the  canoe.  It  required  some  little  delay, 
however,  to  embark  with  their  weapons,  to  find  the 
paddles,  and,  if  we  may  use  a  phrase  so  purely  technical, 
"to  get  out  of  dock."  By  this  time  Hurry  was  in  the 
scow,  and  the  Delaware  had  his  rifles  again  in  readiness. 
As  the  ark  necessarily  sailed  before  the  wind,  it  had  got 
by  this  time  quite  two  hundred  yards  from  the  castle,  and 
was  sliding  away  each  instant,  further  and  further,  though 
with  a  motion  so  easy  as  scarcely  to  stir  the  water.  The 
canoe  of  the  girls  was  quite  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant 
from  the  ark,  obviously  keeping  aloof,  in  ignorance  of 
what  had  occurred,  and  in  apprehension  of  the  conse 
quences  of  venturing  too  near.  They  had  taken  the 
direction  of  the  eastern  shore,  endeavoring  at  the  same 
time  to  get  to  windward  of  the  ark,  and  in  a  manner 
between  the  two  parties,  as  if  distrusting  which  was  to 
be  considered  a  friend,  and  which  an  enemy.  The  girls, 
from  long  habit,  used  the  paddles  with  great  dexterity; 
and  Judith,  in  particular,  had  often  sportively  gained 


THE   DEERSLAYER  353 

races,  in  trials  of  speed,  with  the  youths  that  occasionally 
visited  the  lake. 

When  the  three  Hurons  emerged  from  behind  the  pali 
sades,  and  found  themselves  on  the  open  lake,  and  under 
the  necessity  of  advancing  unprotected  on  the  ark,  if  they 
persevered  in  the  original  design,  their  ardor  sensibly 
cooled.  In  a  bark  canoe,  they  were  totally  without  cover, 
and  Indian  discretion  was  entirely  opposed  to  such  a  sac 
rifice  of  life  as  would  most  probably  follow  any  attempt 
to  assault  an  enemy,  entrenched  as  effectually  as  the  Del 
aware.  Instead  of  following  the  ark,  therefore,  these 
three  warriors  inclined  towards  the  eastern  shore,  keeping 
at  a  safe  distance  from  the  rifles  of  Chingachgook.  But 
this  manoeuver  rendered  the  position  of  the  girls  exceed 
ingly  critical.  It  threatened  to  place  them  if  not  between 
two  fires,  at  least  between  two  dangers,  or  what  they 
conceived  to  be  dangers;  and,  instead  of  permitting  the 
Hurons  to  inclose  her,  in  what  she  fancied  a  sort  of  net, 
Judith  immediately  commenced  her  retreat,  in  a  southern 
direction,  at  no  very  great  distance  from  the  shore.  She 
did  not  dare  to  land;  if  such  an  expedient  were  to  be  re 
sorted  to  at  all,  she  could  only  venture  on  it  in  the  last 
extremity.  At  first  the  Indians  paid  little  or  no  attention 
to  the  other  canoe;  for,  fully  apprised  of  its  contents, 
they  deemed  its  capture  of  comparatively  little  moment; 
while  the  ark,  with  its  imaginary  treasures,  the  persons 
of  the  Delaware  and  of  Hurry,  and  its  means  of  move 
ment  on  a  large  scale,  was  before  them.  But  this  ark 
had  its  dangers  as  well  as  its  temptations;  and  after 
wasting  near  an  hour  in  vacillating  evolutions,  always  at 
a  safe  distance  from  the  rifle,  the  Hurons  seemed  sud 
denly  to  take  their  resolution,  and  began  to  display  it  by 
giving  eager  chase  to  the  girls. 

When  this  last  design  v/as  adopted,  the  circumstances 
of  all  parties,  as  connected  with  their  relative  positions, 
were  materially  changed.  The  ark  had  sailed  and  drifted 
quite  half  a  mile,  and  was  nearly  that  distance  due  north 
of  the  castle.  As  soon  as  the  Delaware  perceived  that  the 
girls  avoided  him,  unable  to  manage  his  unwieldy  craft, 
and  knowing  that  flight  from  a  bark  canoe,  in  the  event 
of  pursuit,  would  be  a  useless  expedient  if  attempted,  he 
23 


354  THE   DEERSLAYER 

had  lowered  his  sail,  in  the  hope  it  might  induce  the  sis 
ters  to  change  their  plan,  and  to  seek  refuge  in  the  scow. 
This  demonstration  produced  no  other  effect  than  to  keep 
the  ark  nearer  to  the  scene  of  action,  and  to  enable  those 
in  her  to  become  witnesses  of  the  chase.  The  canoe  of 
Judith  was  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  that  of  the 
Hurons,  a  little  nearer  to  the  east  shore,  and  about  the 
same  distance  to  the  southward  of  the  castle  as  it  was 
from  the  hostile  canoe,  a  circumstance  which  necessarily 
put  the  last  nearly  abreast  of  Hutter's  fortress.  With  the 
several  parties  thus  situated,  the  chase  commenced. 

At  the  moment  when  the  Hurons  so  suddenly  changed 
their  mode  of  attack,  their  canoe  was  not  in  the  best 
possible  racing  trim.  There  were  but  two  paddles,  and 
the  third  man  was  so  much  extra  and  useless  cargo.  Then 
the  difference  in  weight  between  the  sisters  and  the  other 
two  men,  more  especially  in  vessels  so  extremely  light, 
almost  neutralized  any  difference  that  might  proceed 
from  the  greater  strength  of  the  Hurons,  and  rendered 
the  trial  of  speed  far  from  being  as  unequal  as  it  might 
seem.  Judith  did  not  commence  her  exertions  until  the 
near  approach  of  the  other  canoe  rendered  the  object  of 
the  movement  certain,  and  then  she  excited  Hetty  to  aid 
her  with  her  utmost  skill  and  strength. 

"Why  should  we  run,  Judith?"  asked  the  simple- 
minded  girl;  "the  Hurons  have  never  harmed  me,  nor  do 
I  think  they  ever  will." 

"That  may  be  true  as  to  you,  Hetty,  but  it  will  prove 
very  different  with  me.  Kneel  down  and  say  your  prayer, 
and  then  rise,  and  do  your  utmost  to  help  escape.  Think 
of  me,  dear  girl,  too,  as  you  pray." 

Judith  gave  these  directions  from  a  mixed  feeling; 
first,  because  she  knew  that  her  sister  ever  sought  the 
support  of  her  Great  Ally,  in  trouble;  and  next,  because 
a  sensation  of  feebleness  and  dependence  suddenly  came 
over  her  own  proud  spirit,  in  that  moment  of  apparent 
desertion  and  trial.  The  prayer  was  quickly  said,  how 
ever,  and  the  canoe  was  soon  in  rapid  motion.  Still, 
neither  party  resorted  to  their  greatest  exertions  from 
the  outset,  both  knowing  that  the  chase  was  likely  to  be 
arduous  and  long.  Like  two  vessels  of  war  that  are  pre- 


THE  DEERSLAYER  355 

paring  for  an  encounter,  they  seemed  desirous  of  first 
ascertaining  their  respective  rates  of  speed,  in  order  that 
they  might  know  how  to  graduate  their  exertions,  pre 
viously  to  the  great  effort.  A  few  minutes  sufficed  to 
show  the  Hurons  that  the  girls  were  expert,  and  that  it 
would  require  all  their  skill  and  energies  to  overtake 
them.  Judith  had  inclined  towards  the  eastern  shore  at 
the  commencement  of  the  chase,  with  a  vague  determina 
tion  of  landing  and  flying  to  the  woods,  as  a  last  resort; 
but  as  she  approached  the  land,  the  certainty  that  scouts 
must  be  watching  her  movements,  made  her  reluctance  to 
adopt  such  an  expedient  unconquerable.  Then  she  was 
still  fresh,  and  had  sanguine  hopes  of  being  able  to  tire 
out  her  pursuers.  With  such  feelings,  she  gave  a  sweep 
with  her  paddle,  and  sheered  off  from  the  fringe  of  dark 
hemlocks,  beneath  the  shades  of  which  she  was  so  near 
entering,  and  held  her  way  again  more  towards  the  center 
of  the  lake.  This  seemed  the  instant  favorable  for  the 
Hurons  to  make  their  push,  as  it  gave  them  the  entire 
breadth  of  the  sheet  to  do  it  in;  and  this,  too,  in  the 
widest  part,  as  soon  as  they  had  got  between  the  fugitives 
and  the  land.  The  canoes  now  flew;  Judith  making  up 
for  what  she  wanted  in  strength,  by  her  great  dexterity 
and  self-command.  For  half  a  mile  the  Indians  gained  no 
material  advantage,  but  the  continuance  of  so  great  exer 
tions  for  so  many  minutes  sensibly  affected  all  concerned. 
Here  the  Indians  resorted  to  an  expedient  that  enabled 
them  to  give  one  of  their  party  time  to  breathe,  by  shift 
ing  their  paddles  from  hand  to  hand,  and  this,  too,  with 
out  sensibly  relaxing  their  efforts.  Judith  occasionally 
looked  behind  her,  and  she  saw  this  expedient  practised. 
It  caused  her  immediately  to  distrust  the  result,  since  her 
powers  of  endurance  were  not  likely  to  hold  out  against 
those  of  men  who  had  the  means  of  relieving  each  other; 
still  she  persevered,  allowing  no  very  visible  consequences 
immediately  to  follow  the  change. 

As  yet,  the  Indians  had  not  been  able  to  get  nearer  to 
the  girls  than  two  hundred  yards,  though  they  were  what 
seamen  would  term  "in  their  wake;"  or  in  a  direct  line 
behind  them,  passing  over  the  same  track  of  water.  This 
made  the  pursuit  what  is  technically  called  a  "stern 


356  THE   DEERSLAYER 

chase,"  which  is  proverbially  a  "long  chase;"  the  mean 
ing  of  which  is,  that  in  consequence  of  the  relative  posi 
tions  of  the  parties  no  change  becomes  apparent,  except 
that  which  is  a  direct  gain  in  the  nearest  possible  ap 
proach.  "Long"  as  this  species  of  chase  is  admitted  to 
be,  however,  Judith  was  enabled  to  perceive  that  the 
Hurons  were  sensibly  drawing  nearer  and  nearer,  before 
she  had  gained  the  center  of  the  lake.  She  was  not  a  girl 
to  despair;  but  there  was  an  instant  when  she  thought  of 
yielding,  with  the  wish  of  being  carried  to  the  camp 
where  she  knew  the  Deerslayer  to  be  a  captive;  but  the 
considerations  connected  with  the  means  she  hoped  to  be 
able  to  employ,  in  order  to  procure  his  release,  imme 
diately  interposed,  in  order  to  stimulate  her  to  renewed 
exertions.  Had  there  been  any  one  there  to  note  the 
progress  of  the  two  canoes,  he  would  have  seen  that  of 
Judith  flying  swiftly  away  from  its  pursuers,  as  the  girl 
gave  it  freshly  impelled  speed,  while  her  mind  was  thus 
dwelling  on  her  own  ardent  and  generous  schemes.  So 
material,  indeed,  was  the  difference  in  the  rate  of  going 
between  the  two  canoes,  for  the  next  five  minutes,  that 
the  Hurons  began  to  be  convinced  all  their  powers  must  be 
exerted,  or  they  would  suffer  the  disgrace  c  i  being  baffled 
by  women.  Making  a  furious  effort,  under  the  mortifi 
cation  of  such  a  conviction,  one  of  the  stronger  of  their 
party  broke  his  paddle,  at  the  very  moment  when  he 
had  taken  it  from  the  hand  of  a  comrade,  to  relieve  him. 
This  at  once  decided  the  matter;  a  canoe  containing  three 
men,  and  having  but  one  paddle,  being  utterly  unable  to 
overtake  fugitives  like  the  daughters  of  Thomas  Hutter. 

"There,  Judith!"  exclaimed  Hetty,  who  saw  the 
accident,  "I  hope,  now,  you  will  own  that  praying  is 
useful !  The  Hurons  have  broke  a  paddle,  and  they  never 
can  overtake  us. " 

"I  never  denied  it,  poor  Hetty;  and  sometimes  wish,  in 
bitterness  of  spirit,  that  I  had  prayed  more  myself,  and 
thought  less  of  my  beauty.  As  you  say,  we  are  now 
safe,  and  need  only  go  a  little  south,  and  take  breath." 

This  was  done;  the  enemy  giving  up  the  pursuit,  as 
suddenly  as  a  ship  that  has  lost  an  important  spar,  the 
instant  the  accident  occurred.  Instead  of  following  Ju- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  357 

dith's  canoe,  which  was  now  lightly  skimming  over  the 
water  towards  the  south,  the  Hurons  turned  their  bows 
towards  the  castle,  where  they  soon  arrived  and  landed. 
The  girls,  fearful  that  some  spare  paddles  might  be  found 
in  or  about  the  buildings,  continued  on;  nor  did  they  stop 
until  so  distant  from  their  enemies  as  to  give  them  every 
chance  of  escape,  should  the  chase  be  renewed.  It  would 
seem  that  the  savages  meditated  no  such  design,  but  at 
the  end  of  an  hour  their  canoe,  filled  with  men,  was  seen 
quitting  the  castle,  and  steering  towards  the  shore.  The 
girls  were  without  food,  and  they  now  drew  nearer  to  the 
buildings  and  the  ark,  having  finally  made  up  their 
minds,  from  its  manoeuvers,  that  the  latter  contained 
friends. 

Notwithstanding  the  seeming  desertion  of  the  castle, 
Judith  approached  it  with  extreme  caution.  The  ark  was 
now  quite  a  mile  to  the  northward,  but  sweeping  up 
towards  the  buildings;  and  this,  too,  with  t  regularity  of 
motion  that  satisfied  Judith  a  white  man  was  at  the 
oars. 

When  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  building,  the  girls 
began  to  encircle  it,  in  order  to  make  sure  that  it  was 
empty.  No  canoe  was  nigh,  and  this  emboldened  them  to 
draw  nearer  and  nearer,  until  they  had  gone  round  the 
piles  and  reached  the  platform. 

"Do  you  go  into  the  house,  Hetty,"  said  Judith,  "and 
see  that  the  savages  are  gone.  They  will  not  harm  you, 
and  if  any  of  them  are  still  here,  you  can  give  me  the 
alarm.  I  do  not  think  they  will  fire  on  a  poor  defenseless 
girl,  and  I  at  least  may  escape,  until  I  shall  be  ready  to 
go  among  them  of  my  own  accord." 

Hetty  did  as  desired,  Judith  retiring  a  few  yards  from 
the  platform  the  instant  her  sister  landed,  in  readiness 
for  flight.  But  the  last  was  unnecessary,  not  a  minute 
elapsing  before  Hetty  returned  to  communicate  that  all 
was  safe. 

"I've  been  in  all  the  rooms,  Judith,"  said  the  latter, 
earnestly,  "and  they  are  empty,  except  father's;  he  is  in 
his  own  chamber,  sleeping,  though  not  as  quietly  as  we 
could  wish." 

"Has  anything  happened  to  father?"  demanded  Judith, 


358  THE   DEERSLAYER 

as  her  foot  touched  the  platform,  speaking  quick,  for  her 
nerves  were  in  a  state  to  be  easily  alarmed. 

Hetty  seemed  concerned,  and  she  looked  furtively  about 
her,  as  if  unwilling  any  one  but  a  child  should  hear  what 
she  had  to  communicate,  and  even  that  she  should  learn 
it  abruptly. 

"You  know  how  it  is  with  father,  sometimes,  Judith," 
she  said.  "When  overtaken  with  liquor  he  doesn't  always 
know  what  he  says  or  does;  and  he  seems  to  be  overtaken 
with  liquor,  now." 

"That  is  strange!  Would  the  savages  have  drunk  with 
him,  and  then  leave  him  behind?  But  'tis  a  grievous 
sight  to  a  child,  Hetty,  to  witness  such  a  failing  in  a 
parent,  and  we  will  not  go  near  him  till  he  wakes." 

A  groan  from  the  inner  room,  however,  changed  this 
resolution,  and  the  girls  ventured  near  a  parent,  whom  it 
was  no  unusual  thing  for  them  to  find  in  a  condition  that 
lowers  a  man  to  the  level  of  brutes.  He  was  seated,  re 
clining  in  a  corner  of  a  narrow  room,  with  his  shoulders 
supported  by  the  angle,  and  his  head  fallen  heavily  on  his 
chest.  Judith  moved  forward  with  a  sudden  impulse, 
and  removed  a  canvas  cap  that  was  forced  so  low  on  his 
head  as  to  conceal  his  face,  and,  indeed,  all  but  his 
shoulders.  The  instant  this  obstacle  was  taken  away,  the 
quivering  and  raw  flesh,  the  bared  veins  and  muscles,  and 
all  the  other  disgusting  signs  of  mortality,  as  they  are 
revealed  by  tearing  away  the  skin,  showed  he  had  been 
scalped,  though  still  living. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

"  Lightly  they'll  talk  of  the  spirit  that's  gone, 

And  o'er  his  cold  ashes  upbraid  him  ; 
But  nothing-  he'll  reck,  if  they'll  let  him  sleep  on, 
In  the  grave  where  a  Briton  has  laid  him." 

—DISPUTED. 

THE  reader  must  imagine  the  horror  that  daughters 
would  experience  at  unexpectedly  beholding  the  shocking 
spectacle  that  was  placed  before  the  eyes  of  Judith  and 
Esther,  as  related  in  the  close  of  the  last  chapter.  We 
shall  pass  over  the  first  emotions,  the  first  acts  of  filial 
piety,  and  proceed  with  the  narrative,  by  imagining 
rather  than  relating  most  of  the  revolting  features  of  the 
scene.  The  mutilated  and  ragged  head  was  bound  up,  the 
unseemly  blood  was  wiped  from  the  face  of  the  sufferer, 
the  other  appliances  required  by  appearances  and  care 
were  resorted  to,  and  there  was  time  to  inquire  into  the 
more  serious  circumstances  of  the  case.  The  facts  were 
never  known  until  years  later,  in  all  their  details,  simple 
as  they  were;  but  they  may  as  well  be  related  here,  as  it 
can  be  done  in  a  few  words.  In  the  struggle  with  the 
Hurons,  Hutter  had  been  stabbed  by  the  knife  of  the  old 
warrior,  who  had  used  the  discretion  to  remove  the  arms 
of  every  one  but  himself.  Being  hard  pushed  by  his 
study  foe  his  knife  settled  the  matter.  This  occurred 
just  as  the  door  was  opened  and  Hurry  burst  out  upon 
the  platform,  as  has  been  previously  related.  This  was 
the  secret  of  neither  party's  having  appeared  in  the  sub 
sequent  struggle;  Hutter  having  been  literally  disabled, 
and  his  conqueror  being  ashamed  to  be  seen  with  the 
traces  of  blood  about  him,  after  having  used  so  many  in 
junctions  to  convince  his  young  warriors  of  the  necessity 
of  taking  their  prisoners  alive.  When  the  three  Hurons 
returned  from  the  chase,  and  it  was  determined  to 
abandon  the  castle  and  join  the  party  on  the  land,  Hutter 
was  simply  scalped,  to  secure  the  usual  trophy,  and  was 
left  to  die  by  inches,  as  has  been  done  in  a  thousand 

359 


360  THE   DEERSLAYER 

similar  instances  by  the  ruthless  warriors  of  this  part  of 
the  American  continent.  Had  the  injury  of  Hutter  been 
confined  to  his  head,  he  might  have  recovered,  however; 
for  it  was  the  blow  of  the  knife  that  proved  mortal. 

There  are  moments  of  vivid  consciousness,  when  the 
stern  justice  of  God  stands  forth  in  colors  so  prominent 
as  to  defy  any  attempts  to  veil  them  from  the  sight,  how 
ever  unpleasant  they  may  appear,  or  however  anxious  we 
may  be  to  avoid  recognizing  it.  Such  was  now  the  fact 
with  Judith  and  Hetty,  who  both  perceived  the  decrees  of 
a  retributive  Providence,  in  the  manner  of  their  father's 
suffering,  as  a  punishment  for  his  own  recent  attempts 
on  the  Iroquois.  This  was  seen  and  felt  by  Judith,  with 
the  keenness  of  perception  and  sensibility  that  were  suited 
to  her  character;  while  the  impression  made  on  the  sim 
pler  mind  of  her  sister  was  perhaps  less  lively,  though  it 
might  well  have  proved  more  lasting. 

"Oh!  Judith,"  exclaimed  the  weak-minded  girl,  as 
soon  as  their  first  care  had  been  bestowed  on  the  sufferer. 
"Father  went  for  scalps,  himself,  and  now  where  is  his 
own?  The  Bible  might  have  foretold  this  dreadful  pun 
ishment!" 

"Hush!  Hetty — hush!  poor  sister;  he  opens  his  eyes; 
he  may  hear  and  understand  you.  'Tis  as  you  say  and 
think;  but  'tis  too  dreadful  to  speak  of!" 

"Water!"  ejaculated  Hutter,  as  it  might  be  by  a  des 
perate  effort,  that  rendered  his  voice  frightfully  deep  and 
strong,  for  one  as  near  death  as  he  evidently  was;  "water! 
foolish  girls — will  you  let  me  die  of  thirst?" 

Water  was  brought  and  adminstered  to  the  sufferer; 
the  first  he  had  tasted  in  hours  of  physical  anguish.  It 
had  the  double  effect  of  clearing  his  throat,  and  of  mo 
mentarily  reviving  his  sinking  system.  His  eyes  opened 
with  that  anxious,  distended  gaze,  which  is  apt  to  accom 
pany  the  passage  of  a  soul  surprised  by  death,  and  he 
seemed  disposed  to  speak. 

"Father,"  said  Judith,  inexpressibly  pained  by  his 
deplorable  situation,  and  this  so  much  the  more  from  her 
ignorance  of  what  remedies  ought  to  be  applied,  "Father, 
can  we  do  anything  for  you?  Can  Hetty  and  I  relieve 
your  pain?" 


THE   DEERSLAYER  361 

"Father!"  slowly  repeated  the  old  man.  "No,  Judith 
— no,  Hetty — I'm  no  father.  She  was  your  mother,  but 
I'm  no  father.  Look  in  the  chest — 'tis  all  there — give 
me  more  water. ' ' 

The  girls  complied;  and  Judith,  whose  early  recollec 
tions  extended  further  back  than  her  sister's,  and  who,  on 
every  account,  had  more  distinct  impressions  of  the  past, 
felt  an  uncontrollable  impulse  of  joy  as  she  heard  these 
words.  There  had  never  been  much  sympathy  between 
her  reputed  father  and  herself,  and  suspicions  of  this  very 
truth  had  often  glanced  across  her  mind,  in  consequence 
of  dialogues  she  had  overheard  between  Hutter  and  her 
mother.  It  might  be  going  too  far  to  say  she  had  never 
loved  him;  but  it  is  not  so  to  add,  that  she  rejoiced  it 
was  no  longer  a  duty.  With  Hetty  the  feeling  was  dif 
ferent.  Incapable  of  making  all  the  distinctions  of  her 
sister,  her  very  nature  was  full  of  affection,  and  she  had 
loved  her  reputed  parent,  though  far  less  tenderly  than 
the  real  parent;  and  it  grieved  her,  now,  to  hear  him 
declare  he  was  not  naturally  entitled  to  that  love.  She 
felt  a  double  grief,  as  if  his  death  and  his  words  together 
were  twice  depriving  her  of  parents.  Yielding  to  her 
feelings,  the  poor  girl  went  aside  and  wept. 

The  very  opposite  emotions  of  the  two  girls  kept  both 
silent  for  a  long  time.  Judith  gave  water  to  the  sufferer 
frequently,  and  she  forebore  to  urge  him  with  questions, 
in  some  measure  out  of  consideration  for  his  condition; 
but,  if  truth  must  be  said,  quite  as  much  lest  something 
he  should  add,  in  the  way  of  explanation,  might  disturb 
her  pleasing  belief  that  she  was  not  Thomas  Hutter's 
child.  At  length  Hetty  dried  her  tears,  and  came  and 
seated  herself  on  a  stool  by  the  side  of  the  dying  man, 
who  had  been  placed  at  his  length  on  the  floor,  with  his 
head  supported  by  some  worn  vestments  that  had  been 
left  in  the  house. 

"Father,"  she  said,  "you  will  let  me  call  you  father, 
though  you  say  you  are  not  one, — father,  shall  I  read  the 
Bible  to  you, — mother  always  said  the  Bible  was  good  for 
people  in  trouble.  She  was  often  in  trouble  herself,  and 
then  she  made  me  read  the  Bible  to  her — for  Judith 
wasn't  as  fond  of  the  Bible  as  I  am — and  it  always  did 


362  THE   DEERSLAYER 

her  good.  Many  is  the  time  I've  known  mother  begin  to 
listen  with  the  tears  streaming  from  her  eyes,  and  end 
with  smiles  and  gladness.  Oh!  father,  you  don't  know 
how  much  good  the  Bible  can  do,  for  you've  never  tried 
it;  now,  I'll  read  a  chapter,  and  it  will  soften  your  heart, 
as  it  softened  the  hearts  of  the  Hurons." 

While  poor  Hetty  had  so  much  reverence  for,  and  faith 
in,  the  virtue  of  the  Bible,  her  intellect  was  too  shallow 
to  enable  her  fully  to  appreciate  its  beauties,  or  to  fathom 
its  profound  and  sometimes  mysterious  wisdom.  That 
instinctive  sense  of  right,  which  appeared  to  shield  her 
from  the  commission  of  wrong,  and  even  cast  a  mantle  of 
moral  loveliness  and  truth  around  her  character,  could 
not  penetrate  abstrusities,  or  trace  the  nice  affinities 
between  cause  and  effect,  beyond  their  more  obvious  and 
indisputable  connection,  though  she  seldom  failed  to  see 
the  latter,  and  to  defer  to  all  their  just  consequences.  In 
a  word,  she  was  one  of  those  who  feel  and  act  correctly, 
without  being  able  to  give  a  logical  reason  for  it,  even 
admitting  revelation  as  her  authority.  Her  selections 
from  the  Bible,  therefore,  were  commonly  distinguished 
by  the  simplicity  of  her  own  mind,  and  were  oftener 
marked  for  containing  images  of  known  and  palpable 
things,  than  for  any  of  the  higher  cast  of  moral  truths 
with  which  the  pages  of  that  wonderful  book  abound — 
wonderful  and  unequaled,  even  without  referring  to  its 
divine  origin,  as  a  work  replete  with  the  profoundest  phil 
osophy,  expressed  in  the  noblest  language.  Her  mother, 
with  a  connection  that  will  probably  strike  the  reader, 
had  been  fond  of  the  book  of  Job,  and  Hetty  had,  in  a 
great  measure,  learned  to  read  by  the  frequent  lessons 
she  had  received  from  the  different  chapters  of  this  ven 
erable  and  sublime  poem,  now  believed  to  be  the  oldest 
book  in  the  world.  On  this  occasion,  the  poor  girl  was 
submissive  to  her  training,  and  she  turned  to  that  well- 
known  part  of  the  sacred  volume,  with  the  readiness  with 
which  the  practised  counsel  would  cite  his  authorities 
from  the  stores  of  legal  wisdom.  In  selecting  the  par 
ticular  chapter,  she  was  influenced  by  the  caption,  and 
she  chose  that  which  stands  in  our  English  version  as, 
"Job  excuseth  his  desire  of  death."  This  she  read  stead- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  363 

ily,  from  beginning  to  end,  in  a  sweet,  low,  and  plaintive 
voice;  hoping  devoutly  that  the  allegorical  and  abstruse 
sentences  might  convey  to  the  heart  of  the  sufferer  the 
consolation  he  needed.  It  is  another  peculiarity  of  the 
comprehensive  wisdom  of  the  Bible,  that  scarce  a  chapter, 
unless  it  be  strictly  narrative,  can  be  turned  to,  that  does 
not  contain  some  searching  truth  that  is  applicable  to  the 
condition  of  every  human  heart,  as  well  as  to  the  temporal 
state  of  the  owner,  either  through  the  workings  of  that 
heart,  or  even  in  a  still  more  direct  form.  In  this  in 
stance,  the  very  opening  sentence — "Is  there  not  an 
appointed  time  to  man  on  earth?" — was  startling;  and 
as  Hetty  proceeded,  Hutter  applied,  or  fancied  he  could 
apply,  manly  aphorisms  and  figures  to  his  own  worldly 
and  mental  condition.  As  life  is  ebbing  fast,  the  mind 
clings  eagerly  to  hope,  when  it  is  not  absolutely  crushed 
by  despair.  The  solemn  words,  "I  have  sinned;  what 
shall  I  do  unto  thee,  0  thou  preserver  of  men?  Why  hast 
thou  set  me  as  a  mark  against  thee,  so  that  I  am  a  burden 
to  myself?"  struck  Hutter  more  perceptibly  than  the 
others;  and,  though  too  obscure  for  one  of  his  blunted 
feelings  and  obtuse  mind  either  to  feel  or  to  comprehend 
in  their  fullest  extent,  they  had  a  directness  of  application 
to  his  own  state  that  caused  him  to  wince  under  them. 

"Don't  you  feel  better  now,  father?"  asked  Hetty, 
closing  the  volume.  "Mother  was  always  better  when 
she  had  read  the  Bible." 

"Water,"  returned  Hutter;  "give  me  water,  Judith. 
I  wonder  if  my  tongue  will  always  be  so  hot!  Hetty,  isn't 
there  something  in  the  Bible  about  cooling  the  tongue  of 
a  man  who  was  burning  in  hell-fire?" 

Judith  turned  away,  shocked;  but  Hetty  eagerly  sought 
the  passage,  which  she  read  aloud  to  the  conscience- 
stricken  victim  of  his  own  avaricious  longings. 

"That's  it,  poor  Hetty;  yes,  that's  it.  My  tongue 
wants  cooling,  now;  what  will  it  be  hereafter?" 

This  appeal  silenced  even  the  confiding  Hetty,  for  she 
had  no  answer  ready  for  a  confession  so  fraught  with 
despair.  Water,  so  long  as  it  could  relieve  the  sufferer, 
it  was  in  the  power  of  the  sisters  to  give;  and,  from  time 
to  time,  it  was  offered  to  the  lips  of  the  sufferer  as  he 


364  THE   UEERSLAYER 

asked  for  it.  Even  Judith  prayed.  As  for  Hetty,  as  soon 
as  she  found  that  her  efforts  to  make  her  father  listen  to 
her  texts  were  no  longer  rewarded  with  success,  she  knelt 
at  his  side,  and  devoutly  repeated  the  words  which  the 
Saviour  has  left  behind  Him  as  a  model  for  human  peti 
tions.  This  she  continued  to  do,  at  intervals,  as  long  as 
it  seemed  to  her  that  the  act  could  benefit  the  dying  man. 
Hutter,  however,  lingered  longer  than  the  girls  had 
believed  possible,  when  they  first  found  him.  At  times 
he  spoke  intelligibly,  though  his  lips  oftener  moved  in 
utterance  of  sounds  that  carried  no  distinct  impressions 
to  the  mind.  Judith  listened  intently,  and  she  heard  the 
words  "husband,"  "death,"  "pirate,"  "law,"  "scalps," 
and  several  others  of  a  similar  import,  though  there  was 
no  sentence  to  tell  the  precise  connection  in  which  they 
were  used.  Still,  they  were  sufficiently  expressive  to  be 
understood  by  one  whose  ears  had  not  escaped  all  the 
rumors  that  had  been  circulated  to  her  reputed  father's 
discredit,  and  whose  comprehension  was  as  quick  as  her 
faculties  were  attentive. 

During  the  whole  of  the  painful  hour  that  succeeded, 
neither  of  the  sisters  bethought  her  sufficiently  of  the 
Hurons  to  dread  their  return.  It  seemed  as  if  their  des 
olation  and  grief  placed  them  above  the  danger  of  such 
an  interruption;  and  when  the  sound  of  oars  was  at  length 
heard,  even  Judith,  who  alone  had  any  reason  to  apprehend 
the  enemy,  did  not  start,  but  at  once  understood  that  the 
ark  was  near.  She  went  upon  the  platform  fearlessly ; 
for,  should  it  turn  out  that  Hurry  was  not  there,  and'that 
the  Hurons  were  masters  of  the  scow  also,  escape  was 
impossible.  Then  she  had  the  sort  of  confidence  that  is 
inspired  by  extreme  misery.  But  there  was  no  cause  for 
any  new  alarm, — Chingachgook,  Hist,  and  Hurry  all 
standing  in  the  open  part  of  the  scow,  cautiously  examin 
ing  the  building,  to  make  certain  of  the  absence  of  the 
enemy.  They,  too,  had  seen  the  departure  of  the  Hurons, 
as  well  as  the  approach  of  the  canoe  of  the  girls  to  the 
castle,  and,  presuming  on  the  latter  fact,  March  had  swept 
the  scow  up  to  the  platform.  A  word  sufficed  to  explain 
that  there  was  nothing  to  be  apprehended,  and  the  ark 
was  soon  moored  in  her  old  berth. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  365 

Judith  said  not  a  word  concerning  the  condition  of  her 
father,  but  Hurry  knew  her  too  well  not  to  understand  that 
something  was  more  than  usually  wrong.  He  led  the  way, 
though  with  less  of  his  confident  bold  manner  than  usual, 
into  the  house,  and  penetrating  to  the  inner  room,  found 
Hutter  lying  on  his  back,  with  Hetty  sitting  at  his  side, 
fanning  him  with  pious  care.  The  events  of  the  morning 
had  sensibly  changed  the  manner  of  Hurry.  Notwith 
standing  his  skill  as  a  swimmer,  and  the  readiness  with 
which  he  had  adopted  the  only  expedient  that  could  pos 
sibly  save  him,  the  helplessness  of  being  in  the  water, 
bound  hand  and  foot,  had  produced  some  such  an  effect 
on  him  as  the  near  approach  of  punishment  is  known  to 
produce  on  most  criminals,  leaving  a  vivid  impression  of 
the  horrors  of  death  upon  his  mind,  and  this,  too,  in  con 
nection  with  a  picture  of  bodily  helplessness;  the  daring 
of  this  man  being  far  more  the  offspring  of  vast  physical 
powers  than  of  the  energy  of  the  will,  or  even  of  natural 
spirit.  Such  heroes  invariably  lose  a  large  portion  of 
their  courage  with  the  failure  of  their  strength;  and, 
though  Hurry  was  now  unfettered,  and  as  vigorous  as 
ever,  events  were  too  recent  to  permit  the  recollection  of 
his  late  deplorable  condition  to  be  at  all  weakened.  Had 
he  lived  a  century,  the  occurrences  of  the  few  momentous 
minutes  during  which  he  was  in  the  lake,  would  have 
produced  a  chastening  effect  on  his  character,  if  not 
always  on  his  manner. 

Hurry  was  not  only  shocked  when  he  found  his  late 
associate  in  this  desperate  situation,  but  he  was  greatly 
surprised.  During  the  struggle  in  the  building,  he  had 
been  far  too  much  occupied  himself  to  learn  what  had 
befallen  his  comrade,  and,  as  no  deadly  weapon  had  been 
used  in  his  particular  case,  but  every  effort  had  been 
made  to  capture  him  without  injury,  he  naturally  believed 
that  Hutter  had  been  overcome,  while  he  owed  his  own 
escape  to  his  great  bodily  strength,  and  to  a  fortunate 
concurrence  of  extraordinary  circumstances.  Death,  in 
the  silence  and  solemnity  of  a  chamber,  was  a  novelty  to 
him.  Though  accustomed  to  scenes  of  violence,  he  had 
been  unused  to  sit  by  the  bedside  and  watch  the  slow 
beating  of  the  pulse  as  it  gradually  grew  weaker  and 


366  THE   DEERSLAYER 

weaker.  Notwithstanding  the  change  in  his  feelings,  the 
manners  of  a  life  could  not  be  altogether  cast  aside  in  a 
moment,  and  the  unexpected  scene  extorted  a  character 
istic  speech  from  the  borderer. 

"How  now!  Old  Tom,"  he  said,  "have  the  vagabonds 
got  you  at  an  advantage,  where  you're  not  only  down,  but 
are  likely  to  be  kept  down?  I  thought  you  a  captyve,  it's 
true,  but  never  supposed  you  so  hard  run  as  this!" 

Hutter  opened  his  glassy  eyes,  and  stared  wildly  at  the 
speaker.  A  flood  of  confused  recollections  rushed  on  his 
wavering  mind  at  the  sight  of  his  late  comrade.  It  was 
evident  that  he  struggled  with  his  own  images,  and  knew 
not  the  real  from  the  unreal. 

"Who  are  you?"  he  asked  in  a  husky  whisper,  his  fail 
ing  strength  refusing  to  aid  him  in  a  louder  effort  of  his 
voice.  "Who  are  you?  You  look  like  the  mate  of  the 
Snow — he  was  a  giant,  too,  and  near  overcoming  us." 

"I'm  your  mate,  Floating  Tom,  and  your  comrade,  but 
have  nothing  to  do  with  any  snow.  It's  summer  now,  and 
Harry  March  always  quits  the  hills  as  soon  after  the 
frosts  set  in  as  is  convenient." 

"I  know  you — Hurry  Skurry;  I'll  sell  you  a  scalp!  a 
sound  one,  and  of  a  full  grown  man;  what' 11  you  give?" 

"Poor  Tom!  That  scalp  business  hasn't  turned  out  at 
all  profitable,  and  I've  pretty  much  concluded  to  give  it 
up,  and  to  follow  a  less  bloody  calling." 

"Have  you  got  any  scalp?  Mine's  gone;  how  does  it 
feel  to  have  a  scalp?  I  know  how  it  feels  to  lose  one — 
fire  and  flames  about  the  brain — and  a  wrenching  at  the 
heart;  no,  no — kill  first,  Hurry,  and  scalp  afterwards." 

"What  does  the  old  fellow  mean,  Judith?  He  talks  like 
one  that  is  getting  tired  of  the  business  as  well  as  myself. 
Why  have  you  bound  up  his  head?  or  have  the  savages 
tomahawked  him  about  the  brains?" 

"They  have  done  that  for  him  which  you  and  he,  Harry 
March,  would  have  so  gladly  done  for  them.  His  skin 
and  hair  have  been  torn  from  his  head  to  gain  money 
from  the  governor  of  Canada,  as  you  would  have  torn 
theirs  from  the  heads  of  the  Hurons  to  gain  money  from 
the  governor  of  York." 

Judith  spoke  with  a  strong  effort  to  appear  composed, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  367 

but  it  was  neither  in  her  nature,  nor  in  the  feeling  of  the 
moment,  to  speak  altogether  without  bitterness.  The 
strength  of  her  emphasis,  indeed,  as  well  as  manner, 
caused  Hetty  to  look  up  reproachfully. 

"These  are  high  words  to  come  from  Thomas  Hutter's 
darter,  as  Thomas  Hutter  lies  dying  before  her  eyes," 
retorted  Hurry. 

"God  be  praised  for  that! — whatever  reproach  it  may 
bring  on  my  poor  mother,  I  am  not  Thomas  Hutter's 
daughter. ' ' 

"Not  Thomas  Hutter's  darter!  Don't  disown  the  old 
fellow  in  his  last  moments,  Judith,  for  that's  a  sin  the 
Lord  will  never  overlook.  If  you're  not  Thomas  Hutter's 
darter,  whose  darter  be  you?" 

This  question  rebuked  the  rebellious  spirit  of  Judith; 
for,  in  getting  rid  of  a  parent  whom  she  felt  it  was  a 
relief  to  find  she  might  own  she  had  never  loved,  she 
overlooked  the  important  circumstance  that  no  substitute 
was  ready  to  supply  his  place. 

"I  cannot  tell  you,  Harry,  who  my  father  was,"  she 
answered  more  mildly;  "I  hope  he  was  an  honest  man,  at 
least." 

"Which  is  more  than  you  think  was  the  case  with  old 
Hutter?  Well,  Judith,  I'll  not  deny  that  hard  stories 
were  in  circulation  consarning  Floating  Tom,  but  who  is 
there  that  doesn't  get  a  scratch  when  an  inimy  holds  the 
rake?  There's  them  that  say  hard  things  of  me;  and 
even  you,  beauty  as  you  be,  don't  always  escape." 

This  was  said  with  a  view  to  set  up  a  species  of  com 
munity  of  character  between  the  parties,  and,  as  the 
politicians  are  wont  to  express  it,  with  ulterior  intentions. 
What  might  have  been  the  consequences  with  one  of  Ju 
dith's  known  spirit,  as  well  as  her  assured  antipathy  to  the 
speaker,  it  is  not  easy  to  say;  for  just  then  Hutter  gave 
unequivocal  signs  that  his  last  moment  was  nigh.  Judith 
and  Hetty  had  stood  by  the  death  bed  of  their  mother, 
and  neither  needed  a  monitor  to  warn  them  of  the  crisis, 
and  every  sign  of  resentment  vanished  from  the  face  of 
the  first.  Hutter  opened  his  eyes,  and  even  tried  to  feel 
about  him  with  his  hands,  a  sign  that  sight  was  failing. 
A  minute  later,  his  breathing  grew  ghastly;  a  pause  totally 


368  THE   DEERSLAYER 

without  respiration  followed;  and  then  succeeded  the  la&l 
long-drawn  sigh,  on  which  the  spirit  is  supposed  to  quit 
the  body.  This  sudden  termination  of  the  life  of  one  who 
had  hitherto  filled  so  important  a  place  in  the  narrow 
scene  on  which  he  had  been  an  actor,  put  an  end  to  all 
discussion. 

The  day  passed  by  without  further  interruption,  the 
Hurons,  though  possessed  of  a  canoe,  appearing  so  far 
satisfied  with  their  success  as  to  have  relinquished  all 
immediate  design  on  the  castle.  It  would  not  have  been 
a  safe  undertaking,  indeed,  to  approach  it  under  the  rifles 
of  those  it  was  now  known  to  contain,  and  it  is  probable 
that  the  truce  was  more  owing  to  this  circumstance  than 
to  any  other.  In  the  meanwhile,  the  preparations  were 
made  for  the  interment  of  Hutter.  To  bury  him  on  the 
land  was  impracticable,  and  it  was  Hetty's  wish  that  his 
body  should  lie  by  the  side  of  that  of  her  mother,  in  the 
lake.  She  had  it  in  her  power  to  quote  one  of  his  speeches 
in  which  he  himself  had  called  the  lake  the  "family  bury- 
ing-ground, "  and  luckily  this  was  done  without  the 
knowledge  of  her  sister,  who  would  have  opposed  the 
plan  had  she  known  it,  with  unconquerable  disgust.  But 
Judith  had  not  meddled  with  the  arrangement,  and  every 
necessary  disposition  was  made  without  her  privity  or 
advice. 

The  hour  chosen  for  the  rude  ceremony  was  just  as  the 
sun  was  setting,  and  a  moment  and  a  scene  more  suited 
to  paying  the  last  office  to  one  of  calm  and  pure  spirit, 
could  not  have  been  chosen.  There  are  a  mystery  and  a 
solemn  dignity  in  death,  that  dispose  the  living  to  regard 
the  remains  of  even  a  malefactor  with  a  certain  degree 
of  reverence.  All  wordly  distinctions  have  ceased;  it  is 
thought  that  the  veil  has  been  removed,  and  that  the 
character  and  destiny  of  the  departed  are  now  as  much 
beyond  human  opinions  as  they  are  beyond  human  ken. 
In  nothing  is  death  more  truly  a  leveler  than  in  this, 
since,  while  it  may  be  impossible  absolutely  to  confound 
the  great  with  the  low,  the  worthy  with  the  unworthy,  the 
mind  feels  it  to  be  arrogance  to  assume  a  right  to  judge 
of  those  who  are  believed  to  be  standing  at  the  judgment- 
seat  of  God.  When  Judith  was  told  that  all  was  ready, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  369 

she  went  upon  the  platform,  passive  to  the  request  of  her 
sister,  and  then  she  first  took  heed  of  the  arrangement. 
The  body  was  in  the  scow,  enveloped  in  a  sheet,  and  quite 
a  hundred-weight  of  stones,  that  had  been  taken  from  the 
fire-place,  were  inclosed  with  it  in  order  that  it  might 
sink.  No  other  preparation  seemed  to  be  thought  neces 
sary,  though  Hetty  carried  her  Bible  beneath  her  arm. 

When  all  were  on  board  the  ark,  this  singular  habita 
tion  of  the  man  whose  body  it  now  bore  to  its  final  abode, 
was  set  in  motion.  Hurry  was  at  the  oars.  In  his  pow 
erful  hands,  indeed,  they  seemed  little  more  than  a  pair 
of  sculls,  which  were  wielded  without  effort,  and  as  he 
was  expert  in  their  use,  the  Delaware  remained  a  passive 
spectator  of  the  proceedings.  The  progress  of  the  ark  had 
something  of  the  stately  solemnity  of  a  funeral  procession, 
the  dip  of  the  oars  being  measured,  and  the  movement 
slow  and  steady.  The  wash  of  the  water,  as  the  blades 
rose  and  fell,  kept  time  with  the  efforts  of  Hurry, 
and  might  have  been  likened  to  the  measured  tread  of 
mourners.  Then  the  tranquil  scene  was  in  beautiful 
accordance  with  a  rite  that  ever  associates  with  itself  the 
idea  of  God.  At  that  instant,  the  lake  had  not  even  a 
single  ripple  on  its  glassy  surface,  and  the  broad  pano 
rama  of  woods  seemed  to  look  down  on  the  holy  tran 
quillity  of  the  hour  and  ceremony  in  melancholy  stillness. 
Judith  was  affected  to  tears,  and  even  Hurry,  though  he 
hardly  knew  why,  was  troubled.  Hetty  preserved  the 
outward  signs  of  tranquillity,  but  her  inward  grief 
greatly  surpassed  that  of  her  sister,  since  her  affectionate 
heart  loved  more  from  habit  and  long  association,  than 
from  the  usual  connections  of  sentiment  and  taste.  She 
was  sustained  by  religious  hope,  however,  which,  in  her 
simple  mind  usually  occupied  the  space  that  worldly  feel 
ings  filled  in  that  of  Judith;  and  she  was  not  without  an 
expectation  of  witnessing  some  open  manifestation  of 
divine  power,  on  an  occasion  so  solemn.  Still,  she  was 
neither  mystical  nor  exaggerated,  her  mental  imbecility 
denying  both.  Nevertheless  her  thoughts  had  generally 
so  much  of  the  purity  of  a  better  world  about  them, 
that  it  was  easy  for  her  to  forget  earth  altogether,  and  to 
think  only  of  heaven.  Hist  was  serious,  attentive,  and 
24 


370  THE   DEERSLAYER 

interested,  for  she  had  often  seen  the  interments  of  the 
pale  faces,  though  never  one  that  promised  to  be  as  pecu 
liar  as  this;  while  the  Delaware,  though  grave,  and  also 
observant  in  his  demeanor,  was  stoical  and  calm. 

Hetty  acted  as  pilot,  directing  Hurry  how  to  proceed, 
to  find  that  spot  in  the  lake  which  she  was  in  the  habit  of 
terming  "mother's  grave."  The  reader  will  remember 
that  the  castle  stood  near  the  southern  extremity  of  a 
shoal  that  extended  near  half  a  mile  northerly,  and  it  was 
at  the  furthest  end  of  this  shallow  water  that  Floating 
Tom  had  seen  fit  to  deposit  the  remains  of  his  wife  and 
child.  His  own  were  now  in  the  course  of  being  placed 
at  their  side.  Hetty  had  marks  on  the  land  by  which  she 
usually  found  the  spot,  although  the  position  of  the  build 
ings,  the  general  direction  of  the  shoal,  and  the  beautiful 
transparency  of  the  water,  all  aided  her,  the  latter  even 
allowing  the  bottom  to  be  seen.  By  these  means  the  girl 
was  enabled  to  note  their  progress,  and  at  the  proper  time 
she  approached  March,  whispering: 

"Now,  Hurry,  you  can  stop  rowing.  We  have  passed 
the  stone  on  the  bottom,  and  mother's  grave  is  near." 

March  ceased  his  efforts,  immediately  dropping  the 
kedge,  and  taking  the  warp  in  his  hand,  in  order  to  check 
the  scow.  The  ark  turned  slowly  round  under  this  re 
straint,  and  when  it  was  quite  stationary,  Hetty  was  sean 
at  its  stern,  pointing  into  the  water,  the  tears  streaming 
from  her  eyes,  in  ungovernable  natural  feeling.  Judith 
had  been  present  at  the  interment  of  her  mother,  but  she 
had  never  visited  the  spot  since.  This  neglect  proceeded 
from  no  indifference  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased;  for 
she  had  loved  her  mother,  and  bitterly  had  she  found 
occasion  to  mourn  her  loss;  but  she  was  averse  to  the 
contemplation  of  death;  and  there  had  been  passages  in 
her  own  life  since  the  day  of  that  interment  which  in 
creased  this  feeling:,  and  rendered  her,  if  possible,  still 
more  reluctant  to  approach  the  spot  that  contained  the 
remains  of  one  whose  severe  lessons  of  female  morality 
and  propriety  had  been  deepened  and  rendered  doubly 
impressive  by  remorse  for  her  own  failings.  With  Hetty, 
the  case  had  been  very  different.  To  her  simple  and 
innocent  mind,  the  remembrance  of  her  mother  brought 


THE   DEERSLAYER  371 

no  other  feeling  than  one  of  gentle  sorrow;  a  grief  that 
is  so  often  termed  luxurious  even,  because  it  associates 
with  itself  the  images  of  excellence,  and  the  purity  of  a 
bettor  state  of  existence.  For  an  entire  summer,  she  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  repairing  to  the  place  after  nightfall ; 
and  carefully  anchoring  her  canoe  so  as  not  to  disturb  the 
body,  she  would  sit  and  hold  fancied  conver  ations  with 
the  deceased,  sing  sweet  hymns  to  the  evening  air,  and 
repeat  the  orisons  that  the  being  who  now  slumbered 
below  had  taught  her  in  infancy.  Hetty  had  passed  her 
happiest  hours  in  this  indirect  communion  with  the  spirit 
of  her  mother;  the  wildness  of  Indian  traditions  and 
Indian  opinions,  unconsciously  to  herself,  mingling  with 
the  Christian  lore  received  in  childhood.  Once  she  bad 
even  been  so  far  influenced  by  the  former  as  to  have  be 
thought  her  of  performing  some  of  those  physical  rites  at 
her  mother's  grave  which  the  red  men  are  known  to 
observe;  but  the  passing  feeling  had  been  obscured  by  the 
steady,  though  mild  light  of  Christianity  which  never 
ceased  to  born  in  her  gentle  bosom.  Now  her  emotions 
were  merely  the  natural  outpourings  of  a  daughter  that 
wept  for  a  mother  whose  love  was  indelibly  impressed  on 
the  heart,  and  whose  lessons  had  been  too  earnestly  taught 
to  be  easily  forgotten  by  one  who  had  so  little  temptation 
to  err. 

There  was  no  other  priest  than  nature  at  that  wild  and 
singular  funeral  rite.  March  cast  his  eyes  below,  and 
through  the  transparant  medium  of  the  clear  water,  which 
was  almost  as  pure  as  air,  he  saw  what  Hetty  was  accus 
tomed  to  call  "mother's  grave." 

It  was  a  low,  straggling  mound  of  earth,  fashioned  by 
no  spade,  out  of  a  corner  of  which  gleamed  a  bit  of  the 
white  cloth  that  formed  the  shroud  of  the  dead.  The 
body  had  been  lowered  to  the  bottom,  and  Hutter  brought 
earth  from  the  shore  and  let  it  fall  upon  it,  until  all  was 
concealed.  In  this  state  the  place  had  remained  until  the 
movement  of  the  waters  revealed  the  solitary  sign  of  the 
uses  of  the  spot  that  has  just  been  mentioned. 

Even  the  most  rude  and  brawling  are  chastened  by  the 
ceremonies  of  a  funeral.  March  felt  no  desire  to  indulge 
his  voice  in  any  of  its  coarse  outbreakings,  and  was  dis- 


372  THE   DEERSLAYER 

posed  to  complete  the  office  he  had  undertaken  in  decent 
sobriety.  Perhaps  he  reflected  on  the  retribution  that 
had  alighted  on  his  late  comrade,  and  bethought  him  of 
the  frightful  jeopardy  in  which  his  own  life  had  so  lately 
been  placed.  He  signified  to  Judith  that  all  was  ready, 
received  her  directions  to  proceed,  and,  with  no  other 
assistant  than  his  own  vast  strength,  raised  the  body  and 
bore  it  to  the  end  of  the  scow.  Two  parts  of  a  rope  were 
passed  beneath  the  legs  and  shoulders,  as  they  are  placed 
beneath  coffins,  and  then  the  corpse  was  slowly  lowered 
beneath  the  surface  of  the  lake. 

"Not  there — Harry  March — no,  not  there, ' '  said  Judith, 
shuddering  involuntarily;  "do  not  lower  it  quite  so  near 
the  spot  where  mother  lies!" 

"Why  not,  Judith?"  asked  Hetty,  earnestly.  "They 
lived  together  in  life,  and  should  lie  together  in  death." 

"No — no — Harry  March,  further  off — further  off.  Poor 
Hetty,  you  know  not  what  you  say.  Leave  me  to  order 
this." 

"I  know  I  am  weak-minded,  Judith,  and  that  you  are 
clever — but,  surely  a  husband  should  be  placed  near  a 
wife.  Mother  always  said  that  this  was  the  way  they 
bury  in  Christian  churchyards." 

This  little  controversy  was  conducted  earnestly,  but  in 
smothered  voices,  as  if  the  speakers  feared  that  the  dead 
might  overhear  them.  Judith  could  not  contend  with  her 
sister  at  such  a  moment,  but  a  significant  gesture  from 
her  induced  March  to  lower  the  body  at  a  little  distance 
from  that  of  his  wife;  when  he  withdrew  the  cords,  and 
the  act  was  performed. 

"There's  an  end  of  Floating  Tom!"  exclaimed  Hurry, 
bending  over  the  scow,  and  gazing  through  the  water  at 
the  body.  "He  was  a  brave  companion  on  a  scout,  and  a 
notable  hand  with  traps.  Don't  weep,  Judith — don't  be 
overcome,  Hetty,  for  the  righteousest  of  us  all  must  die; 
and  when  the  time  comes,  lamentations  and  tears  can't 
bring  the  dead  to  life.  Your  father  will  be  a  loss  to  you, 
no  doubt;  most  fathers  are  a  loss,  especially  to  onmarried 
darters;  but  there's  a  way  to  cure  that  evil,  and  you're 
both  too  young  and  handsome  to  live  long  without  finding 
it  out.  When  it's  agreeable  to  hear  what  an  honest  and 


THE   DEERSLAYER  373 

onpretending  man  has  to  say,  Judith,  I  should  like  to  talk 
a  little  with  you  apart. ' ' 

Judith  had  scarce  attended  to  this  rude  attempt  of 
Hurry's  at  consolation,  although  she  necessarily  under 
stood  its  general  drift,  and  had  a  tolerably  accurate 
notion  of  its  manner.  She  was  weeping  at  the  recollec 
tion  of  her  mother's  early  tenderness,  and  painful  images 
of  long  forgotten  lessons,  and  neglected  precepts  were 
crowding  her  mind.  The  words  of  Hurry,  however,  re 
called  her  to  the  present  time,  and  abrupt  and  unreason 
able  as  was  their  import,  they  did  not  produce  those 
signs  of  distaste  that  one  might  have  expected  from  the 
girl's  character.  On  the  contrary,  she  appeared  to  be 
struck  with  some  sudden  idea,  gazed  intently  for  a  mo 
ment  at  the  young  man,  dried  her  eyes,  and  led  the  way 
to  the  other  end  of  the  scow,  signifying  her  wish  for  him 
to  follow.  Here  she  took  a  seat,  and  motioned  for  March 
to  place  himself  at  her  side.  The  decision  and  earnestness 
with  which  all  this  was  done,  a  little  intimidated  her 
companion,  and  Judith  found  it  necessary  to  open  the 
subject  herself. 

"You  wish  to  speak  to  me  of  marriage,  Harry  March," 
she  said,  "and  I  have  come  here,  over  the  grave  of  my 
parents,  as  it  might  be — no,  no — over  the  grave  of  my 
poor,  dear,  dear  mother,  to  hear  what  you  have  to  say. ' ' 

"This  is  oncommon,  and  you  have  a  skearful  way  with 
you,  this  evening,  Judith,"  answered  Hurry,  more  dis 
turbed  than  he  would  have  cared  to  own;  "but  truth  is 
truth,  and  it  shall  come  out,  let  what  will  follow.  You 
well  know,  gal,  that  I've  long  thought  you  the  comeliest 
young  woman  my  eyes  ever  beheld,  and  that  I've  made  no 
secret  of  that  fact,  either  here  on  the  lake,  out  among 
the  hunters  and  trappers,  or  in  the  settlements. ' ' 

"Yes,  yes,  I've  heard  this  before,  and  I  suppose  it  to 
be  true,"  answered  Judith,  with  a  sort  of  feverish  impa 
tience. 

"When  a  young  man  holds  such  language  of  any  par 
ticular  young  woman,  it's  reasonable  to  calculate  he  sets 
store  by  her. ' ' 

"True — true,  Hurry;  all  this  you've  told  me,  again  and 
again. ' ' 


374  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Well,  if  it's  agreeable,  I  should  think  a  woman  couldn't 
hear  it  too  often.  They  all  tell  me  this  is  the  way 
with  your  sex,  that  nothing  pleases  them  more  than  to 
repeat,  over  and  over,  for  the  hundredth  time,  how  much 
you  like  'em,  unless  it  be  to  talk  to  'em  of  their  good 
looks!" 

"No  doubt — we  like  both,  on  most  occasions;  but 
this  is  an  uncommon  moment,  Hurry,  and  vain  words 
should  not  be  too  freely  used.  I  would  rather  hear  you 
speak  plainly. ' ' 

"You  shall  have  your  own  way,  Judith,  and  I  some 
suspect  you  always  will.  I've  often  told  you  that  I  not 
only  like  you  better  than  any  other  woman  going,  or,  for 
that  matter,  better  than  all  the  young  women  going;  but 
you  must  have  obsarved,  Judith,  that  I  never  asked  you, 
in  up  and  down  tarms,  to  marry  me." 

"I  have  observed  both,"  returned  the  girl,  a  smile 
struggling  about  her  beautiful  mouth,  in  spite  of  the 
singular  and  engrossing  intentness  which  caused  her 
cheeks  to  flush  and  lighted  her  eyes  with  a  brilliancy  that 
was  almost  dazzling, — "I  have  observed  both,  and  have 
thought  the  last  remarkable  for  a  man  of  Harry  March's 
decision  and  fearlessness." 

"There's  been  a  reason,  gal,  and  it's  one  that  troubles 
me  even  now — nay,  don't  flush  up  so,  and  look  fiery-like, 
for  there  are  thoughts  which  will  stick  long  in  any  man's 
mind,  as  there  be  words  which  will  stick  in  his  throat;  but 
then,  ag'in,  there' s  feel  in' s  that  will  get  the  better  of  'em 
all,  and  to  these  feelin's  I  find  I  must  submit.  You've  no 
longer  a  father,  or  a  mother,  Judith;  and  it's  morally 
impossible  that  you  and  Hetty  could  live  here,  alone, 
allowing  it  was  peace  and  the  Iroquois  was  quiet;  but,  as 
matters  stand,  not  only  would  you  starve,  but  you'd  both 
be  prisoners,  or  scalped,  afore  a  week  was  out.  It's 
time  to  think  of  a  change  and  a  husband,  and  if  you'll 
accept  of  me,  all  that's  past  shall  be  forgotten,  and  there's 
an  end  on't." 

Judith  had  difficulty  in  repressing  her  impatience  until 
this  rude  declaration  and  offer  were  made,  which  she 
evidently  wished  to  hear,  and  which  she  now  listened  to 
with  a  willingness  that  might  well  have  excited  hope.  She 


THE   DEERSLAYER  375 

hardly  allowed  the  young  man  to  conclude,  so  eager  was 
she  to  bring  him  to  the  point,  and  so  ready  to  answer. 

"There,  Hurry,  that's  enough,"  she  said,  raising  a 
hand,  as  if  to  stop  him;  "I  understand  you  as  well  as  if 
you  were  to  talk  a  month.  You  prefer  me  to  other  girls, 
and  you  wish  me  to  become  your  wife." 

"You  put  it  in  better  words  than  I  can  do,  Judith,  and 
I  wish  you  to  fancy  them  said,  just  as  you  most  like  to 
hear  'em." 

"They're  plain  enough,  Hurry,  and  'tis  fitting  they 
should  be  so.  This  is  no  place  to  trifle  or  deceive  in. 
Now,  listen  to  my  answer,  which  shall  be,  in  every  tittle, 
as  sincere  as  your  offer.  There  is  a  reason,  March,  why 
I  should  never ' 

"I  suppose  I  understand  you,  Judith;  but  if  I'm  willing 
to  overlook  that  reason,  it's  no  one's  consarn  but  mine. 
Now  don't  brighten  up  like  the  sky  at  sundown;  for  no 
offense  is  meant,  and  none  should  be  taken." 

"I  do  not  brighten  up,  and  will  not  take  offense,"  said 
Judith,  struggling  to  repress  her  indignation,  in  a  way 
she  had  never  found  it  necessary  to  exert  before.  "There 
is  a  reason  why  I  should  not,  cannot,  ever  be  your  wife, 
Hurry,  that  you  seem  to  overlook,  and  which  it  is  my 
duty  now  to  tell  you,  as  plainly  as  you  have  asked  me  to 
consent  to  become  so.  I  do  not,  and  I  am  certain  that  I 
never  shall,  love  you  well  enough  to  marry  you.  No  man 
can  wish  for  a  wife  who  does  not  prefer  him  to  all  other 
men;  and  when  I  tell  you  this  frankly,  I  suppose  you 
yourself  will  thank  me  for  my  sincerity." 

"Oh,  Judith,  them  flaunting,  gay,  scarlet- coated  officers 
of  the  garrisons  have  done  all  this  mischief!" 

"Hush,  March;  do  not  calumniate  a  daughter  over  her 
mother's  grave.  Do  not,  when  I  only  wish  to  treat  you 
fairly,  give  me  reason  to  call  for  evil  on  your  head,  in 
bitterness  of  heart!  Do  not  forget  that  I  am  a  woman, 
and  that  you  are  a  man,  and  that  I  have  neither  father 
nor  brother  to  revenge  your  words. ' ' 

"Well,  there  is  something  in  the  last,  and  I'll  say  no 
more.  Take  time,  Judith,  and  think  better  on  this." 

"I  want  no  time;  my  mind  has  long  been  made  up,  and 
I  have  only  waited  for  you  to  speak  plainly,  to  answer 


376  THE   DEERSLAYER 

plainly.  We  now  understand  each  other,  and  there  is  no 
use  in  saying  any  more." 

The  impetuous  earnestness  of  the  girl  awed  the  young 
man,  for  never  before  had  he  seen  her  so  serious  and 
determined.  In  most  of  their  previous  interviews  she 
had  met  his  advances  with  evasion  or  sarcasm;  but  these 
Hurry  had  mistaken  for  female  coquetry,  and  had  sup 
posed  might  easily  be  converted  into  consent.  The  strug 
gle  had  been  with  himself,  about  offering;  nor  had  he 
ever  seriously  believed  it  possible  that  Judith  would 
refuse  to  become  the  wife  of  the  handsomest  man  on  all 
that  frontier.  Now  that  the  refusal  came,  and  that  in 
terms  so  decided  as  to  put  all  caviling  out  of  the  question, 
if  not  absolutely  dumfounded,  he  was  so  much  mortified 
and  surprised  as  to  feel  no  wish  to  attempt  to  change  her 
resolution. 

"The  Glimmerglass  has  now  no  great  call  for  me,"  he 
exclaimed,  after  a  minute's  silence.  "Old  Tom  is  gone; 
the  Hurons  are  as  plenty  on  shore  as  pigeons  in  the  woods, 
and  altogether,  it  is  getting  to  be  an  onsuitable  place." 

"Then  leave  it.  You  see  it  surrounded  by  dangers, 
and  there  is  no  reason  why  you  should  risk  your  life  for 
others.  Nor  do  I  know  that  you  can  be  of  any  service  to 
us.  Go  to-night;  we'll  never  accuse  you  of  having  done 
anything  forgetful  or  unmanly." 

"If  I  do  go,  'twill  be  with  a  heavy  heart  on  your  ac 
count,  Judith;  I  would  rather  take  you  with  me." 

"That  is  not  to  be  spoken  of  any  longer,  March;  but  I 
will  land  you  in  one  of  the  canoes,  as  soon  as  it  is  dark, 
and  you  can  strike  a  trail  for  the  nearest  garrison.  When 
you  reach  the  fort,  if  you  send  a  party- 
Judith  smothered  the  words,  for  she  felt  that  it  was 
humiliating  to  be  thus  exposing  herself  to  the  comments 
and  reflections  of  one  who  was  not  disposed  to  view  her 
conduct  in  connection  with  all  in  these  garrisons  with  an 
eye  of  favor.  Hurry,  however,  caught  the  idea;  and, 
without  perverting  it,  as  the  girl  dreaded,  he  answered 
to  the  purpose. 

"I  understand  what  you  would  say,  and  why  you  don't 
say  it,"  he  replied.  "If  I  get  safe  to  the  fort,  a  party 
shall  start  on  the  trail  of  these  vagabonds,  and  I'll  come 


THE   DEERSLAYER  377 

with  it  myself;  for  I  should  like  to  see  you  and  Hetty  in 
a  place  of  safety,  before  we  part  forever. ' ' 

"Ah,  Harry  March,  had  you  always  spoken  thus,  felt 
thus,  my  feelings  towards  you  might  have  been  different!" 

"Is  it  too  late,  now,  Judith?  I'm  rough,  and  a  woods 
man;  but  we  all  change  under  different  treatment  from 
what  we  have  been  used  to. ' ' 

"It  is  too  late,  March.  I  can  never  feel  towards  you, 
or  any  other  man  but  one,  as  you  would  wish  to  have  me. 
There,  I've  said  enough,  surely,  and  you  will  question  me 
no  further.  As  soon  as  it  is  dark,  I  or  the  Delaware  will 
put  you  on  the  shore;  you  will  make  the  best  of  your  way 
to  the  Mohawk  and  the  nearest  garrison,  and  send  all  you 
can  to  our  assistance.  And,  Hurry,  we  are  now  friends, 
and  I  may  trust  you,  may  I  not?" 

"Sartain,  Judith;  though  our  fri'ndship  would  have 
been  all  the  warmer,  could  you  look  upon  me  as  I  look 
upon  you." 

Judith  hesitated,  and  some  powerful  emotion  was  strug 
gling  within  her.  Then,  as  if  determined  to  look  down 
all  weaknesses,  and  accomplish  her  purposes  at  every 
hazard,  she  spoke  more  plainly. 

"You  will  find  a  captain  of  the  name  of  Warley,  at  the 
nearest  post,"  she  said,  pale  as  death,  and  even  trembling 
as  she  spoke;  "I  think  it  likely  he  will  wish  to  head  the 
party;  I  would  greatly  prefer  it  should  be  another.  If 
Captain  Warley  can  be  kept  back,  'twould  make  me  very 
happy. ' ' 

"That's  easier  said  than  done,  Judith;  for  these  officers 
do  pretty  much  as  they  please.  The  major  will  order,  and 
captains,  and  lieutenants,  and  ensigns  must  obey.  I  know 
the  officer  you  mean;  a  red-faced,  gay,  0-be-joyful  sort 
of  a  gentleman,  who  swallows  Madeira  enough  to  drown 
the  Mohawk,  and  yet  a  pleasant  talker.  All  the  gals  in 
the  valley  admire  him;  and  they  say  he  admires  all  the 
gals.  I  don't  wonder  he  is  your  dislike,  Judith,  for  he's 
a  very  gin'ral  lover,  if  he  isn't  a  gin'ral  officer." 

Judith  did  not  answer,  though  her  frame  shook,  and 
her  color  changed  from  pale  to  crimson,  and  from  crimson 
back  again  to  the  hue  of  death. 

"Alas!  my  poor  mother!"  she  ejaculated  mentally,  in- 


378  THE   DEERSLAYER  . 

stead  of  uttering  it  aloud;  "we  are  over  thy  grave,  but 
little  dost  thou  know  how  much  thy  lessons  have  been 
forgotten;  thy  care  neglected;  thy  love  defeated!" 

As  this  goading  of  the  worm  that  never  dies  was  felt, 
she  arose  and  signified  to  Hurry  that  she  had  no  more  to 
communicate. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

"  That  point 

In  misery,  which  makes  the  oppressed  man, 
Regardless  of  his  own  life,  makes  him  too 
Lord  of  the  oppressor's." 

—COLERIDGE. 

ALL  this  time  Hetty  had  remained  seated  in  the  head 
of  the  scow,  looking  sorrowfully  into  the  water  which 
held  the  body  of  her  mother,  as  well  as  that  of  the  man 
whom  she  had  been  taught  to  consider  her  father.  Hist 
stood  near  her  in  gentle  quiet,  but  had  no  consolation  to 
offer  in  words.  The  habits  of  her  people  taught  her  reserve 
in  this  respect;  and  the  habits  of  her  sex  induced  her  to 
wait  patiently  for  a  moment  when  she  might  manifest 
some  sympathy  by  means  of  acts  rather  than  of  speech. 
Chingachgook  held  himself  a  little  aloof,  in  grave  reserve, 
looking  like  a  warrior  but  feeling  like  a  man. 

Judith  joined  her  sister  with  an  air  of  dignity  and 
solemnity  it  was  not  her  practice  to  show;  and,  though 
the  gleamings  of  anguish  were  still  visible  on  her  beauti 
ful  face,  when  she  spoke  it  was  firmly  and  without  tremor. 
At  that  instant,  Hist  and  the  Delaware  withdrew,  moving 
towards  Hurry,  in  the  other  end  of  the  boat. 

"Sister,"  said  Judith,  kindly,  "I  have  much  to  say  to 
you;  we  will  get  into  this  canoe,  and  paddle  off  to  a  dis 
tance  from  the  ark;  the  secrets  of  two  orphans  ought  not 
to  be  heard  by  every  ear. ' ' 

"Certainly,  Judith,  by  the  ears  of  their  parents.  Let 
Hurry  lift  the  grapnel,  and  move  away  the  ark,  and  leave 
us  here,  near  the  graves  of  father  and  mother,  to  say 
what  we  may  have  to  say." 

"Father!"  repeated  Judith,  slowly,  the  blood  for  the 
first  time  since  parting  with  March,  mounting  to  her 
cheeks;  "he  was  no  father  of  ours,  Hetty!  That  we  had 
from  his  own  mouth,  and  in  his  dying  moments." 

379 


380  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Are  you  glad,  Judith,  to  find  you  had  no  father?  He 
took  care  of  us,  and  fed  us,  and  clothed  us,  and  loved  us; 
a  father  could  have  done  no  more.  I  don't  understand 
why  he  wasn't  a  father." 

"Never  mind,  dear  child,  but  let  us  do  as  you  have 
said.  It  may  be  well  to  remain  here,  and  let  the  ark 
move  a  little  away.  Do  you  prepare  the  canoe,  and  I  will 
tell  Hurry  and  the  Indians  our  wishes." 

This  was  soon  and  simply  done;  the  ark  moving,  with 
measured  strokes  of  the  sweeps,  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
spot,  leaving  the  girls  floating,  seemingly  in  air,  above 
the  place  of  the  dead,  so  buoyant  was  the  light  vessel  that 
held  them,  and  so  limpid  the  element  by  which  it  was 
sustained. 

"The  death  cf  Thomas  Hutter, "  Judith  commenced, 
after  a  short  pause  had  prepared  her  sister  to  receive  her 
communications,  "has  altered  all  our  prospects,  Hetty. 
If  he  was  not  our  father,  we  are  sisters,  and  must  feel 
alike  and  live  together." 

"How  do  I  know,  Judith,  that  you  wouldn't  be  as  glad 
to  find  I  am  not  your  sister,  as  you  are  in  finding  that 
Thomas  Hutter,  as  you  call  him,  was  not  your  father?  I 
am  only  half-witted,  and  few  people  like  to  have  half 
witted  relations;  and  then  I'm  not  handsome — at  least, 
not  as  handsome  as  you — and  you  may  wish  a  handsomer 
sister." 

"No,  no,  Hetty.  You  and  you  only  are  my  sister — my 
heart,  and  my  love  for  you,  tell  me  that;  and  mother  was 
my  mother — of  that,  too,  am  I  glad  and  proud;  for  she 
was  a  mother  to  be  proud  of — but  father  was  not  father ! ' ' 

"Hush,  Judith!  His  spirit  may  be  near;  it  would 
grieve  it  to  hear  his  children  talking  so,  and  that,  too, 
over  his  very  grave.  Children  should  never  grieve  par 
ents,  mother  often  told  me,  and  especially  when  they  are 
dead!" 

"Poor  Hetty!  They  are  happily  removed  beyond  all 
cares  on  our  accounts.  Nothing  that  I  can  do  or  say  will 
cause  mother  any  sorrow  now — there  is  some  consolation 
in  that,  at  least! — and  nothing  you  can  say  or  do,  will 
make  her  smile,  as  she  used  to  smile  on  your  good  conduct 
when  living." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  381 

"You  don't  know  that,  Judith.  Spirits  can  see,  and 
mother  may  see  as  well  as  any  spirit.  She  always  told  us 
that  God  saw  all  we  did,  and  that  we  should  do  nothing 
to  offend  him;  and  now  she  has  left  us,  I  strive  to  do 
nothing  that  can  displease  her.  Think  how  her  spirit 
would  mourn  and  feel  sorrow,  Judith,  did  it  see  either  of 
us  doing  what  is  not  right;  and  spirits  may  see,  after  all; 
especially  the  spirits  of  parents  that  feel  anxious  about 
their  children." 

"Hetty,  Hetty — you  know  not  what  you  say!"  mur 
mured  Judith,  almost  livid  with  emotion.  "The  dead 
cannot  see,  and  know  nothing  of  what  passes  here!  But 
we  will  not  talk  of  this  any  longer.  The  bodies  of  mother 
and  Thomas  Hutter  lie  together  in  the  lake,  and  we  will 
hope  that  the  spirits  of  both  are  with  God.  That  we,  the 
children  of  one  of  them,  remain  on  earth  is  certain;  it  is 
now  proper  to  know  what  we  are  to  do  in  the  future. ' ' 

"If  we  are  not  Thomas  Hutter 's  children,  Judith,  no 
one  will  dispute  our  right  to  his  property.  We  have  the 
castle,  and  the  ark,  and  the  canoes,  and  the  woods,  and 
the  lakes,  the  same  as  when  he  was  living;  and  what  can 
prevent  us  from  staying  here,  and  passing  our  lives  just 
as  we  ever  have  done?" 

"No,  no,  poor  sister.  This  can  no  longer  be.  Two 
girls  would  not  be  safe  here,  even  should  these  Hurons 
fail  in  getting  us  into  their  power.  Even  father  had  as 
much  as  he  could  sometimes  do,  to  keep  peace  upon  the 
lake;  and  we  should  fail  altogether.  We  must  quit  this 
spot,  Hetty,  and  remove  into  the  settlements." 

"I  am  sorry  you  think  so,  Judith,"  returned  Hetty, 
dropping  her  head  on  her  bosom,  and  looking  thoughtfully 
down  at  the  spot  where  the  funeral  pile  of  her  mother 
could  just  be  seen.  "I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  it.  I  would 
rather  stay  here,  where,  if  I  wasn't  born,  I've  passed  my 
life.  I  don't  like  the  settlements ;  they  are  full  of  wicked 
ness  and  heart-burnings,  while  God  dwells  unoffended  in 
these  hills!  I  love  the  trees,  and  the  mountains,  and  the 
lake,  and  the  springs;  all  that  his  bounty  has  given  us, 
and  it  would  grieve  me  sorely,  Judith,  to  be  forced  to 
quit  them.  You  are  handsome,  and  not  at  all  half-witted 
and  one  day  you  will  marry,  and  then  you  will  have  a 


382  THE   DEERSLAYER 

husband,  and  I  a  brother  to  take  care  of  us,  if  women 
can't  really  take  care  of  themselves  in  such  a  place  as 
this." 

"Ah!  if  this  could  be  so,  Hetty,  then,  indeed,  I  could 
now  be  a  thousand  times  happier  in  these  woods  than  in 
the  settlements!  Once  I  did  not  feel  thus,  but  now  I  do. 
Yet  where  is  the  man  to  turn  this  beautiful  place  into 
such  a  garden  of  Eden  for  us?" 

"Harry  March  loves  you,  sister,"  returned  poor  Hetty, 
unconsciously  picking  the  bark  off  the  canoe  as  she  spoke. 
"He  would  be  glad  to  be  your  husband,  I'm  sure;  and 
a  stouter  and  a  braver  youth  is  not  to  be  met  with  the 
whole  country  round." 

"Harry  March  and  I  'understand  each  other,  and  no 
more  need  be  said  about  him.  There  is  one — but  no 
matter.  It  is  all  in  the  hands  of  Providence,  and  we 
must  shortly  come  to  some  conclusion  about  our  future 
manner  of  living.  Remain  here — that  is,  remain  here 
alone,  we  cannot — and  perhaps  no  occasion  will  ever  offer 
for  remaining  in  the  manner  you  think  of.  It  is  time, 
too,  Hetty,  we  should  learn  all  we  can  concerning  our 
relations  and  family.  It  is  not  probable  we  are  altogether 
without  relations,  and  they  may  be  glad  to  see  us.  The 
old  chest  is  now  our  property,  and  we  have  a  right  to 
look  into  it,  and  learn  all  we  can  by  what  it  holds.  Mother 
was  so  very  different  from  Thomas  Hutter,  that,  now  I 
know  we  are  not  his  children,  I  burn  with  a  desire  to 
know  whose  children  we  can  be.  There  are  papers  in  that 
chest,  I  am  certain,  and  those  papers  may  tell  us  all  about 
our  parents  and  natural  friends." 

"Well,  Judith,  you  know  best,  for  you  are  cleverer 
than  common,  mother  always  said,  and  I  am  only  half 
witted.  Now  father  and  mother  are  dead,  I  don't  much 
care  for  any  relations  but  you,  and  don't  think  I  could 
love  them  I  never  saw,  as  well  as  I  ought.  If  you  don't 
like  to  marry  Hurry,  I  don't  see  who  you  can  chose  for  a 
husband,  and  then  I  fear  we  shall  have  to  quit  the  lake 
after  all." 

"What  do  you  think  of  Deerslayer,  Hetty?"  asked 
Judith,  bending  forward  like  her  unsophisticated  sister, 
and  endeavoring  to  conceal  her  embarrassment  in  a  sim- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  383 

ilar  manner.  "Would  he  not  make  a  brother-in-law  to 
your  liking?" 

"Deerslayer!"  repeated  the  other,  looking  up  in  un 
feigned  surprise;  "why,  Judith,  Deerslayer  isn't  in  the 
least  comely,  and  is  altogether  unfit  for  one  like  you!" 

"He  is  not  ill-looking,  Hetty;  and  beauty  in  a  man  is 
not  of  much  matter." 

"Do  you  think  so,  Judith?  I  know  that  beauty  is  of  no 
great  matter,  in  man  or  woman,  in  the  eyes  of  God;  for 
mother  has  often  told  me  so,  when  she  thought  I  might 
have  been  sorry  I  was  not  as  handsome  as  you — though 
she  needn't  have  been  uneasy  on  that  account,  for  I  never 
coveted  anything  that  is  yours,  sister;  but  tell  me  so  she 
did;  still,  beauty  is  very  pleasant  to  the  eye,  in  both.  I 
think,  if  I  were  a  man,  I  should  pine  more  for  good  looks 
than  I  do  as  a  girl.  A  handsome  man  is  a  more  pleasing 
sight  than  a  handsome  woman." 

"Poor  child!  you  scarce  know  what  you  say  or  what 
you  mean!  Beauty  in  our  sex  is  something,  but  in  man, 
it  passes  for  little.  To  be  sure,  a  man  ought  to  be  tall, 
but  others  are  tall  as  well  as  Hurry;  and  active — I  think 
I  know  those  that  are  more  active;  and  strong — well,  he 
hasn't  all  the  strength  in  the  world;  and  brave — I'm 
certain  I  can  name  a  youth  who  is  braver." 

"This  is  strange,  Judith.  I  didn't  think  the  earth  held 
a  handsomer,  or  a  stronger,  or  a  more  active,  or  a  braver 
man  than  Harry  Hurry.  I  am  sure  I  never  met  his  equal 
in  either  of  these  things." 

"Well,  well,  Hetty,  say  no  more  of  this.  I  dislike  to 
hear  you  talking  in  this  manner.  'Tis  not  suitable  to 
your  innocence,  and  truth,  and  warm-hearted  sincerity. 
Let  Harry  March  go.  He  quits  us  to-night,  and  no  regret 
of  mine  will  follow  him,  unless  it  be  that  he  has  stayed 
so  long  and  to  so  little  purpose." 

"Ah!  Judith,  that  is  what  I've  long  feared;  and  I  did 
so  hope  he  might  be  my  brother-in-law!" 

"Never  mind  it  now;  let  us  talk  of  our  poor  mother 
and  of  Thomas  Hutter. ' ' 

"Speak  kindly,  then,  sister,  for  you  can't  be  quite  cer 
tain  that  spirits  don't  both  hear  and  see.  If  father 
wasn't  father,  he  was  good  to  us,  and  gave  us  food  and 


384  THE   DEERSLAYER 

shelter.  We  can't  put  any  stones  over  their  graves  here 
in  the  water  to  tell  people  all  this,  and  so  we  ought  to  say 
it  with  our  tongues." 

"They  will  care  little  for  that,  girl.  'Tis  a  great  con 
solation  to  know,  Hetty,  that  if  mother  ever  did  commit 
any  heavy  fault  when  young,  she  lived  sincerely  to  repent 
of  it;  no  doubt  her  sins  were  forgiven  her." 

"  'Tisn't  right,  Judith,  for  children  to  talk  of  their 
parents'  sins.  We  had  better  talk  of  our  own." 

'  'Talk  of  your  sins,  Hetty !  If  there  ever  was  a  creature 
on  earth  without  sin,  it  is  you!  I  wish  I  could  say  or 
think  the  same  of  myself;  but  we  shall  see.  No  one  knows 
what  changes  affection  for  a  good  husband  can  make  in  a 
woman's  heart.  I  don't  think,  child,  I  have  even  now  the 
same  love  of  finery  I  once  had." 

"It  would  be  a  pity,  Judith,  if  you  did  think  of  clothes 
over  your  parents'  graves!  We  will  never  quit  this  spot, 
if  you  say  so,  and  will  let  Hurry  go  where  he  pleases/' 

"I  am  willing  to  consent  to  the  last,  but  cannot  answer 
for  the  first,  Hetty.  We  must  live,  in  future,  as  becomes 
respectable  young  women,  and  cannot  remain  here  to  be 
the  talk  and  jest  of  all  the  rude  and  f  oul-tongued  trappers 
and  hunters  that  may  come  upon  the  lake.  Let  Hurry  go 
by  himself,  and  then  I'll  find  the  means  to  see  Deerslayer, 
when  the  future  shall  be  soon  settled.  Come,  girl,  the 
sun  has  set,  and  the  ark  is  drifting  away  from  us;  let  us 
paddle  up  to  the  scow,  and  consult  with  our  friend.  This 
night  I  shall  look  into  the  chest,  and  to-morrow  shall  de 
termine  what  we  are  to  do.  As  for  the  Hurons,  now  we 
can  use  our  stores  without  fear  of  Thomas  Hutter,  they 
will  be  easily  bought  off.  Let  me  get  Deerslayer  once 
out  of  their  hands,  and  a  single  hour  shall  bring  things 
to  an  understanding. 

Judith  spoke  with  decision,  and  she  spoke  with  author 
ity,  a  habit  she  had  long  practised  towards  her  feeble 
minded  sister.  But,  while  thus  accustomed  to  have  her 
way,  by  the  aid  of  manner  and  a  readier  command  of 
words,  Hetty  occasionally  checked  her  impetuous  feelings 
and  hasty  acts  by  the  aid  of  those  simple  moral  truths 
that  were  so  deeply  engrafted  in  all  her  own  thoughts  and 
feelings;  shining  through  both  with  a  mild  and  beautiful 


THE   DEERSLAYER  385 

lustre  that  threw  a  sort  of  holy  halo  around  so  much  of 
what  she  both  said  and  did.  On  the  present  occasion, 
this  healthful  ascendency  of  the  girl  of  weak  intellect 
over  her  of  a  capacity  that,  in  other  situations,  might  have 
become  brilliant  and  admired,  was  exhibited  in  the  usual 
simple  and  earnest  manner. 

"You  forget,  Judith,  what  has  brought  us  here,"  she 
said  reproachfully.  "This  is  mother's  grave,  and  we  have 
just  laid  the  body  of  father  by  her  side.  We  have  done 
wrong  to  talk  so  much  of  ourselves  at  such  a  spot,  and 
ought  now  to  pray  God  to  forgive  us,  and  ask  him  to 
teach  us  where  we  are  to  go,  and  what  we  are  to  do. ' ' 

Judith  involuntarily  laid  aside  her  paddle,  while  Hetty 
dropped  on  her  knees,  and  was  soon  lost  in  her  devout 
but  simple  petitions.  Her  sister  did  not  pray.  This  she 
had  long  ceased  to  do  directly,  though  anguish  of  spirits 
frequently  wrung  from  her  mental  and  hasty  appeals  to 
the  great  Source  of  benevolence,  for  support,  if  not  for  a 
change  of  spirit.  Still,  she  never  beheld  Hetty  on  her 
knees,  that  a  feeling  of  tender  recollection,  as  well  as  of 
profound  regret  at  the  deadness  of  her  own  heart,  did  not 
come  over  her.  Thus  had  she  herself  done  in  childhood, 
and  even  down  to  the  hour  of  her  ill-fated  visits  to  the 
garrisons;  and  she  would  willingly  have  given  worlds,  at 
such  moments,  to  be  able  to  exchange  her  present  sensa 
tions  for  that  confiding  faith,  those  pure  aspirations,  and 
the  gentle  hope  that  shone  through  every  lineament  and 
movement  of  her  otherwise  less-favored  sister.  All  she 
could  do,  however,  was  to  drop  her  head  to  her  bosom, 
and  assume  in  her  attitude  some  of  that  devotion  in  which 
her  stubborn  spirit  refused  to  unite. 

When  Hetty  rose  from  her  knees,  her  countenance  had 
a  glow  and  serenity  that  rendered  a  face  that  was  always 
agreeable,  positively  handsome.  Her  mind  was  at  peace, 
and  her  conscience  acquitted  her  of  a  neglect  of  duty. 

"Now  you  may  go,  if  you  want  to,  Judith,"  she  said. 
"God  has  been  kind  to  me,  and  lifted  a  burden  off  my 
heart.  Mother  had  many  burdens,  she  used  to  tell  me, 
and  she  always  took  them  off  in  this  way.  'Tis  the  only 
way,  sister,  such  things  can  be  done.  You  may  raise  a 
stone,  or  a  log,  with  your  hands;  but  the  heart  must  be 
25 


386  THE   DEERSLAYER 

lightened  by  prayer.  I  don't  think  you  pray  as  often  as 
you  used  to  do  when  younger,  Judith!" 

"Never  mind — never  mind,  child,"  answered  the  other 
huskily;  "  'tis  no  matter  now.  Mother  is  gone,  and 
Thomas  Hutter  is  gone,  and  the  time  has  come  when  we 
must  think  and  act  for  ourselves." 

As  the  canoe  moved  slowly  away  from  the  place,  under 
the  gentle  impulsion  of  the  elder  sister's  paddle,  the 
younger  sat  musing,  as  was  her  wont,  whenever  her  mind 
was  perplexed  by  any  idea  more  abstract  and  difficult  of 
comprehension  than  common. 

"I  don't  know  what  you  mean  by  future,  Judith,"  she 
at  length  suddenly  observed.  "Mother  used  to  call 
heaven  the  future,  but  you  seem  to  think  it  means  next 
week  or  to-morrow!" 

"It  means  both,  dear  sister;  everything  that  is  yet  to 
come,  whether  in  this  world  or  another.  It  is  a  solemn 
word,  Hetty,  and  most  so,  I  fear,  to  them  that  think  the 
least  about  it.  Mother's  future  is  eternity;  ours  may  yet 
mean  what  will  happen  while  we  live  in  this  world — is 
not  that  a  canoe  just  passing  behind  the  castle? — here, 
more  in  the  direction  of  the  point,  I  mean;  it  is  hid,  now; 
but,  certainly,  I  saw  a  canoe  stealing  behind  the  logs." 

"I've  seen  it  some  time,"  Hetty  quietly  answered,  for 
the  Indians  had  few  terrors  for  her,  "but  I  did  not  think 
it  right  to  talk  about  such  things  over  mother's  grave. 
The  canoe  came  from  the  camp,  Judith,  and  was  paddled 
by  a  single  man;  he  seemed  to  be  Deerslayer,  and  no 
Iroquois. " 

"Deerslayer!"  returned  the  other,  with  much  of  her 
native  impetuosity.  "That  can't  be!  Deerslayer  is  a 
prisoner,  and  I  have  been  thinking  of  the  means  of  setting 
him  free.  Why  did  you  fancy  it  Deerslayer,  child?" 

"You  can  look  for  yourself,  sister;  there  comes  the 
canoe  in  sight  again,  on  this  side  of  the  hut." 

Sure  enough,  the  light  boat  had  passed  the  building, 
and  was  now  steadily  advancing  towards  the  ark;  the 
persons  on  board  of  which  were  already  collecting  in  the 
head  of  the  scow  to  receive  their  visitor.  A  single  glance 
sufficed  to  assure  Judith  that  her  sister  was  right,  and 
that  Deerslayer  was  alone  in  the  canoe.  His  approach 


THE   DEERSLAYER  387 

was  so  calm  and  leisurely,  however,  as  to  fill  her  with 
wonder,  since  a  man  who  had  effected  his  escape  from 
enemies,  by  either  artifice  or  violence,  would  not  be  apt 
to  move  with  the  steadiness  and  deliberation  with  which 
his  paddle  swept  the  water.  By  this  time  the  day  was 
fairly  departing,  and  objects  were  already  seen  dimly 
under  the  shores.  In  the  broad  lake,  however,  the  light 
still  lingered,  and  around  the  immediate  scene  of  the 
present  incidents,  which  was  less  shaded  than  most  of  the 
sheet,  being  in  its  broadest  part,  it  cast  a  glare  that  bore 
some  faint  resemblance  to  the  warm  tints  of  an  Italian  or 
Grecian  sunset.  The  logs  of  the  hut  and  ark  had  a  sort 
of  purple  hue,  blended  with  the  growing  obscurity,  and 
the  bark  of  the  hunter's  boat  was  losing  its  distinctness, 
in  colors  richer,  but  more  mellowed,  than  those  it  showed 
under  a  bright  sun.  As  the  two  canoes  approached  each 
other — for  Judith  and  her  sister  had  plied  their  paddles 
so  as  to  intercept  the  unexpected  visitor  ere  he  reached 
the  ark — even  Deerslayer's  sun-burned  countenance  wore  a 
brighter  aspect  than  common,  under  the  pleasing  tints 
that  seemed  to  dance  in  the  atmosphere.  Judith  fancied 
that  delight  at  meeting  her  had  some  share  in  this  un 
usual  and  agreeable  expression.  She  was  not  aware  that 
her  own  beauty  appeared  to  more  advantage  than  common, 
from  the  same  natural  cause;  nor  did  she  understand, 
what  it  would  have  given  her  so  much  pleasure  to  know, 
that  the  young  man  actually  thought  her,  as  she  drew 
near,  the  loveliest  creature  of  her  sex  his  eyes  had  ever 
dwelt  on. 

"Welcome — welcome,  Deerslayer!"  exclaimed  the  girl, 
as  the  canoe  floated  at  each  other's  sides;  "we  have  had  a 
melancholy — a  frightful  day;  but  your  return  is,  at  least, 
one  misfortune  the  less.  Have  the  Hurons  become  more 
humane  and  let  you  go,  or  have  you  escaped  from  the 
wretches  by  your  own  courage  and  skill?" 

"Neither,  Judith,  neither  one  nor  t'other.  TheMingoes 
are  Mingoes  still,  and  will  live  and  die  Mingoes;  it  is  not 
likely  their  natur'swill  ever  undergo  much  improvement. 
Well,  they've  their  gifts,  and  we've  our'n,  Judith,  and 
it  doesn't  much  become  either  to  speak  ill  of  what  the 
Lord  has  created;  though,  if  the  truth  must  be  said,  I  find 


388  THE   DEERSLAYER 

it  a  sore  trial  to  think  kindly  or  to  talk  kindly  of  them 
vagabonds.  As  for  outwitting  them,  that  might  have 
been  done,  and  it  was  done,  too,  atween  the  Sarpent,  yon 
der,  and  me  when  we  were  on  the  trail  of  Hist," — here 
the  hunter  stopped  to  laugh  in  his  own  silent  fashion — '  'but 
it's  no  easy  matter  to  sarcumvent  the  sarcum vented.  Even 
the  fa'ans  get  to  know  the  tricks  of  the  hunters  afore  a 
single  season  is  over;  and  an  Indian,  whose  eyes  have  once 
been  opened  by  a  sarcum venti on,  never  shuts  them  ag'in 
in  precisely  the  same  spot.  I've  known  whites  to  do  that, 
but  never  a  red-skin.  What  they  1'arn  comes  by  practise, 
and  not  by  books;  and  of  all  schoolmasters,  exper'ence 
gives  lessons  that  are  longest  remembered." 

"All  this  is  true,  Deerslayer;  but  if  you  have  not  es 
caped  from  the  savages,  how  came  you  here?" 

"That's  a  nat'ral  question,  and  charmingly  put.  You 
are  wonderful  handsome  this  evening,  Judith,  or  Wild 
Rose,  as  the  Sarpent  calls  you,  and  I  may  as  well  say  it, 
since  I  honestly  think  it.  You  may  well  call  them  Mingoes 
savages,  too,  for  savage  enough  do  they  feel,  and  savage 
enough  will  they  act,  if  you  once  give  them  an  oppor 
tunity.  They  feel  their  loss  here,  in  the  late  skrimmage, 
to  their  heart's  cores,  and  are  ready  to  revenge  it  on  any 
creatur'  of  English  blood  that  may  fall  in  their  way. 
Nor,  for  that  matter,  do  I  think  they  would  stand  at 
taking  their  satisfaction  out  of  a  Dutchman." 

"They  have  killed  father;  that  ought  to  satisfy  their 
wicked  cravings  for  blood,  "observed  Hetty, reproachfully. 

"I  know  it,  gal — I  know  the  whole  story;  partly  from 
what  I've  seen  from  the  shore,  since  they  brought  me  up 
from  the  point,  and  partly  from  their  threats  ag'in  my 
self,  and  their  other  discourse.  Well,  life  is  uncertain  at 
the  best,  and  we  all  depend  on  the  breath  of  our  nostrils 
for  it,  from  day  to  day.  If  you've  lost  a  staunch  fri'nd, 
as  I  make  no  doubt  you  have,  Providence  will  raise  up 
new  ones  in  his  stead ;  and  since  our  acquaintance  has 
begun  in  this  oncommon  manner,  I  shall  take  it  as  a  hint 
that  it  will  be  a  part  of  my  duty  in  futur',  should  the 
occasion  offer,  to  see  you  don't  suffer  for  want  of  food  in 
the  wigwam.  I  can't  bring  the  dead  to  life,  but  as  to 
feeding  the  living,  there's  few  on  all  this  frontier  cati 


THE   DEERSLAYER  389 

outdo  me,  though  I  say  it  in  the  way  of  pity  and  consola 
tion  like,  and,  in  no  particular,  in  the  way  of  boasting!" 

"We  understand  you,  Deerslayer, "  returned  Judith 
hastily,  "and  take  all  that  falls  from  your  lips,  as  it  is 
meant,  in  kindness  and  friendship.  Would  to  heaven  all 
men  had  tongues  as  true,  and  hearts  as  honest ! ' ' 

"In  that  respect  men  do  differ,  of  a  sartainty,  Judith. 
I've  known  them  that  wasn't  to  be  trusted  any  further 
than  you  can  see  them;  and  others  ag'in  whose  messages, 
sent  with  a  small  piece  of  wampum,  perhaps,  might  just 
as  much  be  depended  on,  as  if  the  whole  business  was 
finished  afore  your  face.  Yes,  Judith,  you  never  said 
truer  words,  than  when  you  said  some  men  might  be 
depended  on,  and  some  others  might  not." 

"You  are  an  unaccountable  being,  Deerslayer,"  returned 
the  girl,  not  a  little  puzzled  with  the  childish  simplicity 
of  character  that  the  hunter  so  often  betrayed — a  simplic 
ity  so  striking,  that  it  frequently  appeared  to  place  him 
nearly  on  a  level  with  the  fatuity  of  poor  Hetty,  though 
always  relieved  by  the  beautiful  moral  truth  that  shone 
through  all  that  this  unfortunate  girl  both  said  and  did. 
"You  are  a  most  unaccountable  man,  and  I  often  do  not 
know  how  to  understand  you.  But  never  mind,  just  now; 
you  have  forgotten  to  tell  us  by  what  means  you  are 
here." 

"I ! — Oh !  That's  not  very  onaccountable,  if  I  am  myself, 
Judith.  I'm  out  on  furlough." 

"Furlough!  That  word  has  a  meaning  among  the  sol 
diers  that  I  understand;  I  cannot  tell  what  it  signifies 
when  used  by  a  prisoner. ' ' 

"It  means  just  the  same.  You're  right  enough;  the 
soldiers  do  use  it,  and  just  in  the  same  way  as  I  use  it.  A 
furlough  is  when  a  man  has  leave  to  quit  a  camp,  or  a 
garrison,  for  a  sartain  specified  time;  at  the  end  of  which 
he  is  to  come  back  and  shoulder  his  musket,  or  submit  to 
his  torments,  just  as  he  may  happen  to  be  a  soldier,  or  a 
captyve.  Being  the  last,  I  must  take  the  chances  of  a 
prisoner. ' ' 

"Have  the  Hurons  suffered  you  to  quit  them  in  this 
manner,  without  watch  or  guard?" 

"Sartain — I  couldn't  have  come  in  any  other  manner, 


390  THE  DEERSLAYER 

unless,  indeed,  it  had  been  by  a  bold  rising,  or  a  sarcum- 
vention." 

"What  pledge  have  they  that  you  will  ever  return?" 

"My  word,"  answered  the  hunter,  simply.  "Yes,  I  own 
I  gave  'em  that,  and  big  fools  would  they  have  been  to 
let  me  come  without  it!  Why,  in  that  case,  I  shouldn't 
have  been  obliged  to  go  back  and  ondergo  any  deviltries 
their  fury  may  invent,  but  might  have  shouldered  my  rifle, 
and  made  the  best  of  my  way  to  the  Delaware  villages. 
But,  Lord,  Judith,  they  know'd  this,  just  as  well  as  you 
and  I  do,  and  would  no  more  let  me  come  away,  without 
a  promise  to  go  back,  than  they  would  let  the  wolves  dig 
up  the  bones  of  their  fathers!" 

"Is  it  possible  you  mean  to  do  this  act  of  extraordinary 
self-destruction  and  recklessness?" 

"Anan!" 

"I  ask  if  it  can  be  possible  that  you  expect  to  be  able 
to  put  yourself  again  in  the  power  of  such  ruthless  ene 
mies,  by  keeping  your  word?" 

Deerslayer  looked  at  his  fair  questioner  for  a  moment 
with  stern  displeasure.  Then  the  expression  of  his  honest 
and  guileless  face  suddenly  changed,  lighting  as  by  a 
quick  illumination  of  thought;  after  which  he  laughed  in 
his  ordinary  manner. 

"I  didn't  understand  you  at  first,  Judith;  no,  I  didn't. 
You  believe  that  Chingachgook  and  Hurry  Harry  won't 
suffer  it;  but  you  don't  know  mankind  thoroughly  yet,  I 
see.  The  Delaware  would  be  the  last  man  on  'arth  to  offer 
any  objections  to  what  he  knows  is  a  duty;  and,  as  for 
March,  he  doesn't  care  enough  about  any  creatur'  but 
himself  to  spend  many  words  on  such  a  subject.  If  he 
did,  'twould  make  no  great  difference,  hows'ever;  but  not 
he — for  he  thinks  more  of  his  gains  than  of  even  his  own 
word.  As  for  my  promises,  or  your'n,  Judith,  or  anybody 
else's,  they  give  him  no  consarn.  Don't  be  under  any 
oneasiness,  therefore,  gal;  I  shall  be  allowed  to  go  back 
according  to  the  furlough,  and  if  difficulties  was  made, 
I've  not  been  brought  up,  and  edicated,  as  one  may  say, 
in  the  woods,  without  knowing  how  to  look  'em  down." 

Judith  made  no  answer  for  some  little  time.  All  her 
feelings  as  a  woman — and  as  a  woman  who,  for  the  first 


THE   DEERSLAYER  391 

time  in  her  life,  was  beginning  to  submit  to  that  senti 
ment  which  has  so  much  influence  on  the  happiness  or 
misery  of  her  sex — revolted  at  the  cruel  fate  she  fancied 
Deerslayer  was  drawing  down  upon  himself,  while  the 
sense  of  right,  which  God  has  implanted  in  every  human 
breast,  told  her  to  admire  an  integrity  as  indomitable  and 
unpretending  as  that  which  the  other  so  unconsciously 
displayed.  Argument,  she  felt,  would  be  useless;  nor 
was  he,  at  that  moment,  disposed  to  lessen  the  dignity 
and  high  principle  that  were  so  striking  in  the  intentions 
of  the  hunter,  by  any  attempt  to  turn  him  from  his  pur 
pose.  That  something  might  yet  occur  to  supersede  the 
necessity  for  this  self-immolation,  she  tried  to  hope;  and 
then  she  proceeded  to  ascertain  the  facts,  in  order  that 
her  own  conduct  might  be  regulated  by  her  knowledge  of 
circumstances. 

"When  is  your  furlough  out,  Deerslayer?"  she  asked, 
after  both  canoes  were  heading  towards  the  ark,  and 
moving,  with  scarcely  a  perceptible  effort  of  the  paddles, 
through  the  water. 

"To-morrow  noon;  not  a  minute  afore;  and  you  may 
depend  on  it,  Judith,  I  shan't  quit  what  I  call  Christian 
company,  to  go  and  give  myself  up  to  them  vagabonds, 
an  instant  sooner  than  is  downright  necessary.  They 
begin  to  fear  a  visit  from  the  garrisons,  and  wouldn't 
lengthen  the  time  a  moment;  and  it's  pretty  well  under 
stood  atween  us,  that,  should  I  fail  in  my  arr'nd,  the  tor 
ments  are  to  take  place  when  the  sun  begins  to  fall,  that 
they  may  strike  upon  their  home  trail  as  soon  as  it  is 
dark." 

This  was  said  solemnly,  as  if  the  thought  of  what  was 
believed  to  be  in  reserve  duly  weighed  on  the  prisoner's 
mind,  and  yet  so  simply,  and  without  a  parade  of  suffer 
ing,  as  rather  to  repel  than  to  invite  any  open  manifesta 
tions  of  sympathy. 

"Are  they  bent  on  revenging  their  losses?"  Judith 
asked,  faintly,  her  own  high  spirit  yielding  to  the  in 
fluence  of  the  other's  quiet  but  dignified  integrity  of 
purpose. 

"Downright,  if  I  can  judge  of  Indian  inclinations  by 
the  symptoms.  They  think,  hows' ever,  I  don't  suspect 


392  THE   DEERSLAYER 

their  designs,  I  do  believe;  but  one  that  has  lived  so  long 
among  men  of  red-skin  gifts  is  no  more  likely  to  be  mis 
led  in  Injin  feelin's  than  a  true  hunter  is  like  to  lose  his 
trail,  or  a  staunch  hound  his  scent.  My  own  judgment  is 
greatly  ag'in  my  own  escape,  for  I  see  the  women  are  a 
good  deal  enraged  on  behalf  of  Hist,  though  I  say  it, 
perhaps,  that  shouldn't  say  it — seein'  that  I  had  a  consid 
erable  hand  myself  in  getting  the  gal  off.  Then  there 
was  a  cruel  murder  in  their  camp  last  night,  and  that 
shot  might  just  as  well  have  been  fired  into  my  breast. 
Hows'ever  come  what  will  the  Sarpent  and  his  wife  will 
be  safe  and  that  is  some  happiness  in  any  case. ' ' 

"Oh!  Deerslayer,  they  will  think  better  of  this,  since 
they  have  given  you  until  to-morrow  noon  to  make  up 
your  mind!" 

"I  judge  not,  Judith;  yes,  I  judge  not.  An  Injin  is  an 
Injin,  gal,  and  it's  pretty  much  hopeless  to  think  of 
swarving  him,  when  he's  got  the  scent  and  follows  it  with 
his  nose  in  the  air.  The  Delawares,  now,  are  a  half-chris 
tianized  tribe — not  that  I  think  such  sort  of  Christians  much 
better  than  your  whole-blooded  disbelievers — but  neverthe 
less,  what  good  half-christianizing  can  do  to  a  man  some 
among  'em  have  got,  and  yet  revenge  clings  to  their 
hearts  like  the  wild  creepers  here  to  the  tree!  Then  I 
slew  one  of  the  best  and  boldest  of  their  warriors,  they 
say,  and  it  is  too  much  to  expect  that  they  should  captivate 
the  man  who  did  this  deed,  in  the  very  same  scouting  on 
which  it  was  performed,  and  they  take  no  account  of  the 
matter.  Had  a  month  or  so  gone  by  their  feelin's  would 
have  been  softened  down  and  we  might  have  met  in  a 
more  friendly  way;  but  it  is  as  it  is.  Judith,  this  is  talk 
ing  of  nothing  but  myself  and  my  own  consarns  when  you 
have  had  trouble  enough  and  may  want  to  consult  a  fri'nd 
a  little  about  your  own  matters.  Is  the  old  man  laid  in 
the  water,  where  I  should  think  his  body  would  like  to 
rest?" 

"It  is,  Deerslayer"  answered  Judith  almost  inaudibly. 
"That  duty  has  just  been  performed.  You  are  right  in 
thinking  that  I  wish  to  consult  a  friend;  and  that  friend 
is  yourself.  Hurry  Harry  is  about  to  leave  us;  when  he 
is  gone,  and  we  have  got  a  little  over  the  feelings  of  this 


THE   DEERSLAYER  393 

solemn  office  I  hope  you  will  give  me  an  hour    alone. 
Hetty  and  I  are  at  a  loss  what  to  do." 

"That's  quite  natural,  coming  as  things  have,  suddenly 
and  fearfully.  But  here's  the  ark  and  we'll  say  more  of 
this  when  there  is  a  better  opportunity." 


CHAPTER    XXIII 

"  The  winde  is  great  upon  the  highest  hilles ; 
The  quiet  life  is  in  the  dale  below  ; 
Who  tread  on  ice  shall  slide  against  their  willes  ; 
They  want  not  cares,  that  curious  arts  should  know : 
Who  lives  at  ease  and  can  content  him  so, 
Is  perfect  wise,  and  sets  us  all  to  schoole : 
Who  hates  this  lore  may  well  be  called  a  f  oole,  " 

—CHURCHYARD. 

THE  meeting  between  Deerslayer  and  his  friends  in  the 
ark  was  grave  and  anxious.  The  two  Indians,  in  particular, 
read  in  his  manner  that  he  was  not  a  successful  fugitive 
and  a  few  sententious  words  sufficed  to  let  them  compre 
hend  the  nature  of  what  their  friend  had  termed  his 
"furlough. ' '  Chingachgook  immediately  became  thought 
ful;  while  Hist,  as  usual,  had  no  better  mode  of  express 
ing  her  sympathy  than  by  those  little  attentions  which 
mark  the  affectionate  manner  of  woman. 

In  a  few  minutes,  however,  something  like  a  general 
plan  for  the  proceedings  of  the  night  was  adopted  and 
to  the  eye  of  an  uninstructed  observer,  things  would  be 
thought  to  move  in  their  ordinary  train.  It  was  now  get 
ting  to  be  dark,  and  it  was  decided  to  sweep  the  ark  up 
to  the  castle,  and  secure  it  in  its  ordinary  berth.  The 
decision  was  come  to,  in  some  measure,  on  account  of  the 
fact  that  all  the  canoes  were  again  in  the  possession  of 
their  proper  owners,  but  principally  from  the  security 
that  was  created  by  the  representations  of  Deerslayer. 
He  had  examined  the  state  of  things  among  the  Hurons, 
and  felt  satisfied  that  they  meditated  no  further  hostilities 
during  the  night,  the  loss  they  had  met  having  indisposed 
them  to  further  exertions  for  the  moment.  Then  he  had 
a  proposition  to  make, — the  object  of  his  visit;  and,  if 
this  were  accepted,  the  war  would  at  once  terminate  be 
tween  the  parties,  and  it  was  improbable  that  the  Hurons 
would  anticipate  the  failure  of  a  project  on  which  their 
chiefs  had  apparently  set  their  hearts  by  having  recourse 
to  violence  previously  to  the  return  of  their  messenger. 

394 


THE    DEERSLAYER  395 

As  soon  as  the  ark  was  properly  secured,  the  different 
members  of  the  party  occupied  themselves  in  their  several 
peculiar  manners;  haste  in  council,  or  in  decision,  no 
more  characterizing  the  proceedings  of  the  border  whites 
than  it  did  those  of  their  red  neighbors.  The  women 
busied  themselves  in  preparations  for  the  evening  meal, 
sad  and  silent,  but  ever  attentive  to  the  first  wants  of 
nature. 

Hurry  set  about  repairing  his  moccasins,  by  the  light 
of  a  blazing  knot;  Chingachgook seated  himself  in  gloomy 
thought;  while  Deerslayer  proceeded,  in  a  manner  equally 
free  from  affectation  and  concern,  to  examine  "Killdeer, ' ' 
the  rifle  of  Hutter,  that  has  been  already  mentioned, 
and  which  subsequently  became  so  celebrated  in  the  hands 
of  the  individual  who  was  now  making  a  survey  of  its 
merits.  The  piece  was  a  little  longer  than  usual,  and  had 
evidently  been  turned  out  from  the  workshop  of  some 
manufacturer  of  a  superior  order.  It  had  a  few  silver 
ornaments;  though,  on  the  whole,  it  would  have  been 
deemed  a  plain  piece  by  most  frontiersmen;  its  great 
merit  consisting  in  the  accuracy  of  its  bore,  the  perfection 
of  the  details,  and  the  excellence  of  the  metal.  Again  and 
again  did  the  hunter  apply  the  breech  to  his  shoulder,  and 
glance  his  eye  along  the  sights,  and  as  often  did  he  poise 
his  body,  and  raise  the  weapon  slowly,  as  if  about  to  catch 
an  aim  at  a  deer,  in  order  to  try  the  weight,  and  to  ascer 
tain  its  fitness  for  quick  and  accurate  firing.  All  this  was 
done  by  the  aid  of  Hurry's  torch  simply,  but  with  an 
earnestness  and  abstraction,  that  would  have  been  found 
touching  by  any  spectator  who  happened  to  know  the  real 
situation  of  the  man. 

"  'Tis  a  glorious  we'pon,  Hurry!"  Deerslayer  at  length 
exclaimed,  "and  it  may  be  thought  a  pity  that  it  has 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  women.  The  hunters  have  told 
me  of  its  expl'ites,  and  by  all  I  have  heard,  I  should  set 
it  down  as  sartain  death  in  exper'enced  hands.  Hearken 
to  the  tick  of  this  lock — a  wolf-trap  hasn't  a  livelier 
spring;  pan  and  cock  speak  together,  like  two  singing 
masters  undertaking  a  psalm  in  meetin'.  I  never  did  see 
so  true  a  bore,  Hurry,  that's  sartain." 

"Ay,   Old  Tom  used  to  give  the  piece    a    character, 


396  THE   DEERSLAYER 

though  he  wasn't  the  man  to  particularize  the  ra'al  natur* 
of  any  sort  of  firearms,  in  practise,"  returned  March, 
passing  the  deer's  thongs  through  the  moccasin  with  the 
coolness  of  a  cobbler.  "He  was  no  marksman,  that  we 
must  all  allow;  but  he  had  his  good  p'ints  as  well  as  his 
bad  ones.  I  have  had  hopes  that  Judith  might  consait 
the  idee  of  giving  Killdeer  to  me." 

"There's  no  saying  what  young  women  may  do,  that's 
a  truth,  Hurry;  and  I  suppose  you're  as  likely  to  own  the 
rifle  as  another.  Still,  when  things  are  so  very  near  per 
fection,  it's  a  pity  not  to  reach  it  entirely." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that?  Would  not  that  piece 
look  as  well  on  my  shoulder  as  on  any  man's?" 

"As  for  looks,  I  say  nothing.  You  are  both  good-look 
ing,  and  might  make  what  is  called  a  good-looking  couple. 
But  the  true  p'int  is  as  to  conduct.  More  deer  would  fall 
in  one  day,  by  that  piece,  in  some  men's  hands,  than 
would  fall  in  a  week  in  your'n,  Hurry!  I've  seen  you  try; 
you  remember  the  buck,  t'other  day?" 

"That  buck  was  out  of  season;  and  who  wishes  to  kill 
venison  out  of  season?  I  was  merely  trying  to  frighten 
the  creatur',  and  I  think  you  will  own  that  he  was  pretty 
well  skeared  at  any  rate. ' ' 

"Well,  well,  have  it  as  you  say.  But  this  is  a  lordly 
piece,  and  would  make  a  steady  hand  and  quick  eye  the 
King  of  the  Woods." 

"Then  keep  it,  Deerslayer,  and  become  King  of  the 
Woods,"  said  Judith,  earnestly,  who  had  heard  the  con 
versation,  and  whose  eye  was  never  long  averted  from  the 
honest  countenance  of  the  hunter.  "It  can  never  be  in 
better  hands  than  it  is  at  this  moment;  there  I  hope  it 
will  remain  these  fifty  years. ' ' 

"Judith,  you  can't  be  in  'arnest!"  exclaimed  Deer- 
slayer,  taken  so  much  by  surprise  as  to  betray  more 
emotion  than  it  was  usual  for  him  to  manifest  on  ordi 
nary  occasions.  "Such  a  gift  would  be  fit  for  a  ra'al  king 
to  make;  yes,  and  for  a  ra'al  king  to  receive." 

"1  never  was  more  in  earnest  in  my  life,  Deerslayer, 
and  I  am  as  much  in  earnest  in  the  wish  as  in  the  gift." 

"Well,  gal,  well;  we'll  find  time  to  talk  of  this  ag'in. 
You  mustn't  be  downhearted,  Hurry,  for  Judith  is  a 


THE   DEERSLAYER  397 

sprightly  young  woman,  and  she  has  a  quick  reason;  she 
knows  that  the  credit  of  her  father's  rifle  is  safer  in  my 
hands  than  it  can  possibly  be  in  your'n;  and,  therefore, 
you  mustn't  be  downhearted.  In  other  matters,  more  to 
your  liking,  too,  you'll  find  she'll  give  you  the  prefer 
ence.  ' ' 

Hurry  growled  out  his  dissatisfaction;  but  he  was  too 
intent  on  quitting  the  lake,  and  in  making  his  prepara 
tions,  to  waste  his  breath  on  a  subject  of  this  nature. 
Shortly  after,  the  supper  was  ready;  it  was  eaten  in 
silence,  as  is  so  much  the  habit  of  those  who  consider  the 
table  as  merely  a  place  of  animal  refreshment.  On  this 
occasion,  however,  sadness  and  thought  contributed  their 
share  to  the  general  desire  not  to  converse;  for  Deerslayer 
was  so  far  an  exception  to  the  usages  of  men  of  his  cast, 
as  not  only  to  wish  to  hold  discourse  on  such  occasions, 
but  as  often  to  create  a  similar  desire  in  his  companions. 

The  meal  ended,  and  the  humble  preparations  removed, 
the  whole  party  assembled  on  the  platform  to  hear  the 
expected  intelligence  from  Deerslayer  on  the  subject  of 
his  visit.  It  had  been  evident  he  was  in  no  haste  to  make 
his  communications;  but  the  feelings  of  Judith  would  no 
longer  admit  of  delay.  Stools  were  brought  from  the  ark 
and  the  hut,  and  the  whole  six  placed  themselves  in  a 
circle  near  the  door,  watching  each  other's  countenances, 
as  best  they  could,  by  the  scanty  means  that  were  fur 
nished  by  a  lovely  starlight  night.  Along  the  shore, 
beneath  the  mountains,  lay  the  usual  body  of  gloom;  but 
in  the  broad  lake  no  shadow  was  cast,  and  a  thousand 
mimic  stars  were  dancing  in  the  limpid  element,  that  was 
just  stirred  enough  by  the  evening  air  to  set  them  all  in 
motion. 

"Now,  Deerslayer,"  commenced  Judith,  whose  impa 
tience  resisted  further  restraint;  "now,  Deerslayer,  tell 
us  all  the  Hurons  have  to  say,  and  the  reason  why  they 
have  sent  you  on  parole,  to  make  us  some  offer." 

"Furlough,  Judith;  furlough  is  the  word;  and  it  carries 
the  same  meaning  with  a  captyve  at  large  as  it  does  with 
a  soldier  who  has  leave  to  quit  his  colors.  In  both  cases 
the  word  is  passed  to  come  back:  and  now  I  remember  to 
have  heard  that's  the  ra'al  signification,  'furlough'  mean- 


398  THE   DEERSLAYER 

ing  a  'word'  passed  for  the  doing  of  anything,  or  the  like. 
Parole,  I  rather  think,  is  Dutch,  and  has  something  to  do 
with  the  tattoos  of  the  garrisons.  But  this  makes  no 
great  difference,  since  the  vartue  of  a  pledge  lies  in  the 
idee,  and  not  in  the  word.  Well,  then,  if  the  message 
must  be  given,  it  must;  and  perhaps  there  is  no  use  in 
putting  it  off.  Hurry  will  soon  be  wanting  to  set  out  on 
his  journey  to  the  river,  and  the  stars  rise  and  set,  just 
as  if  they  cared  for  neither  Injin  nor  message.  Ah's  me! 
'tisn't  a  pleasant,  and  I  know  it's  a  useless  arr'nd;  but  it 
must  be  told." 

"Harkee,  Deerslayer, "  put  in  Hurry,  a  little  authorita 
tively;  "you're  a  sensible  man  in  a  hunt,  and  as  good  a 
fellow  on  a  march  as  a  sixty-miler-a-day  could  wish  to 
meet  with;  but  you're  oncommon  slow  about  messages, 
especially  them  that  you  think  won't  be  likely  to  be  well 
received.  When  a  thing  is  to  be  told,  why,  tell  it,  and 
don't  hang  back  like  a  Yankee  lawyer  pretending  he  can't 
understand  a  Dutchman's  English,  just  to  get  a  double 
fee  out  of  him." 

"I  understand  you,  Hurry,  and  well  are  you  named  to 
night,  seeing  you've  no  time  to  lose.  But  let  us  come  at 
once  to  the  p'int,  seeing  that's  the  object  of  this  council; 
for  council  it  may  be  called,  though  women  have  seats 
among  us.  The  simple  fact  is  this:  When  the  party 
came  back  from  the  castle,  the  Mingoes  held  a  council, 
and  bitter  thoughts  were  uppermost,  as  was  plainly  to  be 
seen  by  their  gloomy  faces.  No  one  likes  to  be  beaten, 
and  a  red-skin  as  little  as  a  pale  face.  Well,  when  they 
had  smoked  upon  it,  and  made  their  speeches,  and  their 
council-fire  had  burnt  low,  the  matter  came  out.  It  seems 
the  elders  among  'em  consaited  I  was  a  man  to  be  trusted 
on  a  furlough.  They're  wonderful  obsarvant,  them  Min 
goes;  that  their  worst  inimies  must  allow;  but  they  con 
saited  I  was  such  a  man;  and  it  isn't  often" — added  the 
hunter,  with  a  pleasing  consciousness  that  his  previous 
life  justified  this  implicit  reliance  on  his  good  faith— "it 
isn't  often  they  consait  anything  so  good  of  a  pale  face; 
but  so  they  did  with  me,  and  therefore  they  didn't  hesi 
tate  to  speak  their  minds,  which  is  just  this:  You  see 
the  state  of  things.  The  lake  and  all  on  it,  they  fancy, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  399 

lie  at  their  marcy.  Thomas  Hutter  is  deceased,  and  as 
for  Hurry,  they've  got  the  idee  he  has  been  near  enough 
to  death  to-day  not  to  wish  to  take  another  look  at  him 
this  summer.  Therefore,  they  account  all  your  forces  as 
reduced  to  Chingachgook  and  the  two  young  women,  and, 
while  they  know  the  Delaware  to  be  of  a  high  race,  and  a 
born  warrior,  they  know  he's  now  on  his  first  war-path. 
As  for  the  gals,  of  course  they  set  them  down  as  they  do 
women  in  gin'ral." 

"You  mean  that  they  despise  us!"  interrupted  Judith, 
with  eyes  that  flashed  so  brightly  as  to  be  observed  by  all 
present. 

"That  will  be  seen  in  the  ind.  They  hold  that  all  on 
the  lake  lies  at  their  marcy,  and,  therefore,  they  send  by 
me  this  belt  of  wampum, "  showing  the  article  in  question 
to  the  Delaware,  as  he  spoke,  "with  these  words:  Tell 
the  Sarpent,  they  say,  that  he  has  done  well  for  a  begin 
ner;  he  may  now  strike  across  the  mountains,  for  his  own 
villages,  and  no  one  shall  look  for  his  trail.  If  he  has 
found  a  scalp,  let  him  take  it  with  him;  the  Huron  braves 
have  hearts,  and  can  feel  for  a  young  warrior  who  doesn't 
wish  to  go  home  empty-handed.  If  he  is  nimble,  he  is 
welcome  to  lead  out  a  party  in  pursuit.  Hist,  hows'ever, 
must  go  back  to  the  Hurons;  when  she  left  them  in  the 
night,  she  carried  away,  by  mistake,  that  which  doesn't 
belong  to  her." 

"That  can't  be  true!"  said  Hetty  earnestly.  "Hist  is 
no  such  girl;  but  one  that  gives  everybody  his  due — 

How  much  more  she  would  have  said,  in  remonstrance, 
cannot  be  known,  inasmuch  as  Hist,  partly  laughing,  and 
partly  hiding  her  face  in  shame,  put  her  own  hand  across 
the  speaker's  mouth,  in  a  way  to  check  the  words. 

"You  don't  understand  Mingo  messages,  poor  Hetty,"  i 
resumed  Deerslayer,  "which  seldom  mean  what  lies  ex 
actly  uppermost.  Hist  has  brought  away  with  her  the 
inclinations  of  a  young  Huron,  and  they  want  her  back 
again,  that  the  poor  young  man  may  find  them  where  he 
last  saw  them!  The  Sarpent,  they  say,  is  too  promising 
a  young  warrior  not  to  find  as  many  wives  as  he  wants, 
but  this  one  he  cannot  have.  That's  their  meaning,  and 
nothing  else,  as  I  understand  it." 


400  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"They  were  very  obliging  and  thoughtful,  in  supposing 
a  young  woman  can  forget  all  her  own  inclinations  in 
order  to  let  this  unhappy  youth  find  his!"  said  Judith 
ironically,  though  her  manner  became  more  and  more  bit 
ter  as  she  proceeded.  "I  suppose  a  woman  is  a  woman, 
let  her  color  be  white  or  red;  and  your  chiefs  know  little 
of  a  woman's  heart,  Deerslayer,  if  they  think  it  can  ever 
forgive  when  wronged,  or  ever  forget  when  it  fairly 
loves." 

"I  suppose  that's  pretty  much  the  truth,  with  some 
women,  Judith,  though  I've  known  them  that  could  do 
both.  The  next  message  is  to  you.  They  say  the  Musk- 
rat,  as  they  call  your  father,  has  dove  to  the  bottom  of 
the  lake;  that  he  will  never  come  up  again,  and  that  his 
young  will  soon  be  in  want  of  wigwams,  if  not  of  food. 
The  Huron  huts,  they  think,  are  better  than  the  huts  of 
York;  they  wish  you  to  come  and  try  them.  Your  color  is 
white,  they  own,  but  they  think  young  women  who've 
lived  so  long  in  the  woods,  would  lose  their  way  in  the 
clearin's.  A  great  warrior  among  them  has  lately  lost 
his  wife,  and  he  would  be  glad  to  put  the  Wild  Rose  on 
her  bench  at  his  fireside.  As  for  the  Feeble-Mind,  she 
will  always  be  honored  and  taken  care  of  by  red  warriors. 
Your  father's  goods,  they  think,  ought  to  go  to  enrich 
the  tribe;  but  your  own  property,  which  is  to  include 
everything  of  a  female  natur',  will  go,  like  that  of  all 
wives,  into  the  wigwam  of  the  husband.  Moreover, 
they've  lost  a  young  maiden  by  violence,  lately,  and  'twill 
take  two  pale  faces  to  fill  her  seat. ' ' 

"And  do  you  bring  such  a  message  to  me?"  exclaimed 
Judith,  though  the  tone  in  which  the  words  were  uttered, 
had  more  in  it  of  sorrow  than  of  anger.  "Am  I  a  girl 
to  be  an  Indian's  slave?" 

"If  you  wish  my  honest  thoughts  on  this  p'int,  Judith, 
I  shall  answer  that  I  don't  think  you'll  willingly  ever 
become  any  man's  slave,  red-skin  or  white.  You're  not 
to  think  hard,  hows'ever,  of  my  bringing  the  message,  as 
near  as  I  could,  in  the  very  words  in  which  it  was  given 
to  me.  Them  was  the  conditions  on  which  I  got  my  fur 
lough,  and  a  bargain  is  a  bargain,  though  it  is  made  with 
a  vagabond.  I've  told  you  what  they've  said,  but  I've 


THE   DEERSLAYER  401 

not  yet  told  you  what  I  think  you  ought,  one  and  all,  to 
answer. ' ' 

"Ay;  let's  hear  that,  Deerslayer, "  put  in  Hurry.  "My 
cur'osity  is  up  on  that  consideration,  and  I  should  like 
right  well  to  hear  your  idees  of  the  reasonableness  of  the 
reply.  For  my  part,  though,  my  own  mind  is  pretty 
much  settled  on  the  p'int  of  my  own  answer,  which  shall 
be  made  known  as  soon  as  necessary." 

"And  so  is  mine,  Hurry,  on  all  the  different  heads,  and 
on  no  one  is  it  more  sartainly  settled  thanonyour'n.  If  I 
was  you,  I  should  say — 'Deerslayer,  tell  them  scamps  they 
don't  know  Harry  March!  He  is  human;  and  having  a 
white  skin  he  has  also  a  white  natur',  which  natur'  won't 
let  him  desart  females  of  his  own  race  and  gifts,  in  their 
greatest  need.  So  set  me  down  as  one  that  will  refuse  to 
come  into  your  treaty,  though  you  should  smoke  a  hogs 
head  of  tobacco  over  it. ' 

March  was  a  little  embarrassed  at  this  rebuke,  which 
was  uttered  with  sufficient  warmth  of  manner,  and  with 
a  point  that  left  no  doubt  of  the  meaning.  Had  Judith 
encouraged  him,  he  would  not  have  hesitated  about  re 
maining  to  defend  her  and  her  sister,  but  under  the  cir 
cumstances,  a  feeling  of  resentment  rather  urged  him  to 
abandon  them.  At  all  events,  there  was  not  a  sufficiency 
of  chivalry  in  Hurry  Harry  to  induce  him  to  hazard  the 
safety  of  his  own  person,  unless  he  could  see  a  direct  connec 
tion  between  the  probable  consequences  and  his  own  inter 
ests.  It  is  no  wonder,  therefore,  that  his  answer  partook 
equally  of  his  intention,  and  of  the  reliance  he  so  boastingly 
placed  on  his  gigantic  strength,  which,  if  it  did  not 
always  make  him  courageous,  usually  made  him  impudent 
as  respects  those  with  whom  he  conversed. 

"Fair  words  make  long  friendships,  Master  Deerslayer," 
he  said,  a  little  menacingly.  "You're  but  a  stripling, 
and  you  know,  by  exper'ence,  what  you  are  in  the  hands 
of  a  man.  As  you're  not  me,  but  only  a  go-between  sent 
by  the  savages  to  us  Christians,  you  may  tell  your  em- 
pl'yers  that  they  do  know  Harry  March,  which  is  a  proof 
of  their  sense  as  well  as  his.  He's  human  enough  to 
follow  human  natur',  and  that  tells  him  to  see  the  folly  of 
one  man's  fighting  a  whole  tribe.  If  females  desart  him, 
26 


402  THE   DEERSLAYER 

they  must  expect  to  be  desarted  by  him,  whether  they're 
of  his  own  gifts  or  another  man's  gifts.  Should  Judith 
see  fit  to  change  her  mind,  she's  welcome  to  my  company 
to  the  river,  and  Hetty  with  her;  but  shouldn't  she  come 
to  this  conclusion,  I  start  as  soon  as  I  think  the  enemy's 
scouts  are  beginning  to  nestle  themselves  in  among  the 
brush  and  leaves  for  the  night. ' ' 

"Judith  will  not  change  her  mind,  and  she  does  not  ask 
your  company,  Master  March,"  returned  the  girl,  with 
spirit. 

"That  p'int's  settled,  then,"  resumed  Deerslayer,  un 
moved  by  the  other's  warmth.  "Hurry  Harry  must  act 
for  himself,  and  do  that  which  will  be  most  likely  to  suit 
his  own  fancy.  The  course  he  means  to  take  will  give 
him  an  easy  race,  if  it  don't  give  him  an  easy  conscience. 
Next  comes  the  question  with  Hist — what  say  you,  gal? 
—will  you  desart  your  duty,  too,  and  go  back  to  the 
Mingoes  and  take  a  Huron  husband;  and  all,  not  for  the 
love  of  the  man  you're  to  marry,  but  for  the  love  of  your 
own  scalp?" 

"Why  you  talk  so  to  Hist?"  demanded  the  girl,  half 
offended.  "You  t'ink  a  red-skin  girl  made  like  captain's 
lady,  to  laugh  and  joke  with  any  officer  that  come." 

"What  I  think,  Hist,  is  neither  here  not  there,  in  this 
matter.  I  must  carry  back  your  answer,  and  in  order  to 
do  so,  it  is  necessary  that  you  should  send  it.  A  faithful 
messenger  gives  his  arr'nd  word  for  word." 

Hist  no  longer  hesitated  to  speak  her  mind  fully.  In 
the  excitement  she  rose  from  her  bench,  and  naturally 
recurring  to  that  language  in  which  she  expressed  herself 
the  most  readily,  she  delivered  her  thoughts  and  inten 
tions,  beautifully  and  with  dignity,  in  the  tongue  of  her 
own  people. 

' 'Tell  the  Hurons,  Deerslayer, ' '  she  said,  "that  they  are 
as  ignorant  as  moles;  they  don't  know  the  wolf  from  the 
dog.  Among  my  people,  the  rose  dies  on  the  stem  where 
it  budded;  the  tears  of  the  child  fall  on  the  graves  of  its 
parents;  the  corn  grows  where  the  seed  has  been  planted. 
The  Delaware  girls  are  not  messengers,  to  be  sent,  like 
belts  of  wampum,  from  tribe  to  bribe.  They  are  honey 
suckles,  that  are  sweetest  in  their  own  woods;  their  own 


THE   DEERSLAYER  403 

young  men  carry  them  away  in  their  bosoms,  because  they 
are  fragrant;  they  are  sweetest  when  plucked  from  their 
native  stems.  Even  the  robin  and  the  martin  come  back, 
year  after  year,  to  their  old  nests;  shall  a  woman  be  less 
true-hearted  than  a  bird?  Set  the  pine  in  the  clay,  and 
it  will  turn  yellow;  the  willow  will  not  flourish  on  the 
hill;  the  tamarack  is  healthiest  in  the  swamp,  the  tribes 
of  the  sea  love  best  to  hear  the  winds  that  blow  over  the 
salt  water.  As  for  a  Huron  youth,  what  is  he  to  a  maiden 
of  the  Lenni  Lenape?  He  may  be  fleet,  but  her  eyes  do 
not  follow  him  in  the  race;  they  look  back  towards  the 
lodges  of  the  Delawares.  He  may  sing  a  sweet  song  for 
the  girls  of  Canada,  but  there  is  no  music  for  Wah, 
but  in  the  tongue  she  has  listened  to  from  childhood. 
Were  the  Huron  born  of  the  people  that  once  roamed  the 
shores  of  the  salt  lake,  it  would  be  in  vain,  unless  he 
were  of  the  family  of  Uncas.  The  young  pine  will  rise  to 
be  as  high  as  any  of  its  fathers,  Wah-ta-Wah  has  but  one 
heart,  and  it  can  love  but  one  husband." 

Deerslayer  listened  to  this  characteristic  message,  which 
was  given  with  an  earnestness  suited  to  the  feelings  from 
which  it  sprang,  with  undisguised  delight;  meeting  the 
ardent  eloquence  of  the  girl,  as  she  concluded,  with  one 
of  his  own  heart-felt,  silent,  and  peculiar  fits  of  laughter. 

"That's  worth  all  the  wampum  in  the  woods!"  he 
exclaimed.  "You  don't  understand  it,  I  suppose,  Judith; 
but  if  you'll  look  into  your  feelin's,  and  fancy  that  an 
inimy  had  sent  to  tell  you  to  give  up  the  man  of  your 
ch'ice,  and  to  take  up  with  another  that  wasn't  the  man 
of  your  ch'ice,  you'll  get  the  substance  of  it,  I'll  warrant! 
Give  me  a  woman  for  ra'al  eloquence,  if  they'll  only  make 
up  their  minds  to  speak  what  they  feel.  By  speakin',  I 
don't  mean  chatterin',  hows'ever,  for  most  of  them  will 
do  that  by  the  hour;  but  comin'  out  with  their  honest, 
deepest  feelin's,  in  proper  words.  And  now,  Judith, 
having  got  the  answer  of  a  red-skin  girl,  it  is  fit  I  should 
get  that  of  a  pale  face,  if,  indeed,  a  countenance  that  is 
as  blooming  as  your'n  can  in  any  wise  so  be  tarmed.  You 
are  well  named  the  Wild  Rose,  and  so  far  as  color  goes, 
Hetty  ought  to  be  called  the  Honeysuckle. ' ' 

"Did  this  language  come  from  one  of  the  garrison 


404  THE   DEERSLAYER 

gallants,  I  should  deride  it,  Deerslayer;  but  coming  from 
you,  I  know  it  can  be  depended  on, ' '  returned  Judith, 
deeply  gratified  by  his  unmeditated  and  characteristic 
compliments.  "It  is  too  soon,  however,  to  ask  my  an 
swer;  the  Great  Serpent  has  not  yet  spoken." 

"The  Sarpent?  Lord;  I  could  carry  back  his  speech 
without  hearing  a  word  of  it!  I  didn't  think  of  putting 
the  question  to  him  at  all,  I  will  allow;  though  'twould 
be  hardly  right  either,  seeing  that  truth  is  truth,  and  I'm 
bound  to  tell  these  Mingoes  the  fact,  and  nothing  else. 
So,  Chingachgook,  let  us  hear  your  mind  on  this  matter: 
are  you  inclined  to  strike  across  the  hills  towards  your 
village,  to  give  up  Hist  to  a  Huron,  and  to  tell  the  chiefs 
at  home,  that  if  they're  actyve  and  successful  they  may 
possibly  get  on  the  end  of  the  Iroquois  trail  some  two  or 
three  days  a'ter  the  inimy  has  got  off  of  it?" 

Like  his  betrothed,  the  young  chief  arose,  that  his 
answer  might  be  given  with  due  distinctness  and  dignity. 
Hist  had  spoken  with  her  hands  crossed  upon  her  bosom, 
as  if  to  suppress  the  emotions  within;  but  the  warrior 
stretched  an  arm  before  him,  with  a  calm  energy  that  aided 
in  giving  emphasis  to  his  expressions. 

"Wampum  should  be  sent  for  wampum,"  he  said;  "a 
message  must  be  answered  by  a  message.  Hear  what  the 
Great  Serpent  of  the  Delawares  has  to  say  to  the  pretended 
wolves  from  the  great  lakes,  that  are  howling  through 
our  woods.  They  are  no  wolves;  they  are  dogs  that  have 
come  to  get  their  tails  and  ears  cropped  by  the  hands  of 
the  Delawares.  They  are  good  at  stealing  young  women: 
bad  at  keeping  them.  Chingachgook  takes  his  own  where 
he  finds  it;  he  asks  leave  of  no  cur  from  the  Canadas.  If 
he  has  a  tender  feeling  in  his  heart,  it  is  no  business  of 
the  Hurons.  He  tells  it  to  her  who  most  likes  to  know  it; 
he  will  not  bellow  it  in  the  forest  for  the  ears  of  those 
that  only  understand  yells  of  terror.  What  passes  in  his 
lodge  is  not  for  the  chiefs  of  his  own  people  to  know; 
still  less  for  Mingo  rogues " 

"Call  'em  vagabonds,  Sarpent,"  interrupted  Deerslayer, 
unable  to  restrain  his  delight, — "yes,  just  call  'em  up- 
and-down  vagabonds,  which  is  a  word  easily  intarpreted, 
and  the  most  hateful  to  all  their  ears,  it's  so  true.  Never 


THE   DEERSLAYER  405 

fear  me;  I'll  give  em  your  message,  syllable  for  syllable, 
sneer  for  sneer,  idee  for  idee,  scorn  for  scorn,  and  they 
desarve  no  better  at  your  hands.  Only  call  'em  vagabonds, 
once  or  twice,  and  that  will  set  the  sap  mounting  in  'em, 
from  their  lowest  roots  to  the  uppermost  branches." 

"Still  less  for  Mingo  vagabonds!"  resumed  Chingach- 
gook  quite  willingly  complying  with  his  friend's  request. 
"Tell  the  Huron  dogs  to  howl  louder,  if  they  wish  a 
Delaware  to  find  them  in  the  woods,  where  they  burrow 
like  foxes,  instead  of  hunting  like  warriors.  When  they 
had  a  Delaware  maiden  in  their  camp,  there  was  a  reason 
for  hunting  them  up;  now  they  will  be  forgotten,  unless 
they  make  a  noise.  Chingachgook  don't  like  the  trouble 
of  going  to  his  villages  for  more  warriors;  he  can  strike 
their  runaway  trail;  unless  they  hide  it  under  ground,  he 
will  follow  it  to  Canada,  alone.  He  will  keep  Wah-ta-Wah 
with  him  to  cook  his  game;  they  two  will  be  Delawares 
enough  to  scare  all  the  Hurons  back  to  their  own  country. ' ' 

"That's  a  grand  despatch,  as  the  officers  call  them 
things!"  cried  Deerslayer;  "  'twill  set  all  the  Huron  blood 
in  motion;  most  particularly  that  part  where  he  tells  'em 
Hist,  too,  will  keep  on  their  heels,  till  they're  fairly 
driven  out  of  the  country.  Ah's  me!  big  words  aren't 
always  big  deeds,  notwithstanding.  The  Lord  send  that 
we  be  able  to  be  only  one  half  as  good  as  we  promise  to  be. 
And  now,  Judith,  it's  your  turn  to  speak,  for  them  mis 
creants  will  expect  an  answer  from  each  person,  poor 
Hetty,  perhaps,  excepted." 

"And  why  not  Hetty,  Deerslayer?  She  often  speaks  to 
the  purpose;  the  Indians  may  respect  her  words,  for  they 
feel  for  people  in  her  condition." 

"That  is  true,  Judith,  and  quick- thoughted  in  you. 
The  red-skins  do  respect  misfortunes  of  all  kinds,  and 
Hetty's  in  particular.  So,  Hetty,  if  you  have  anything 
to  say,  I'll  carry  it  to  the  Hurons  as  faithfully  as  if  it 
was  spoken  by  a  schoolmaster  or  a  missionary." 

The  girl  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  she  answered  in 
her  own  gentle,  soft  tones,  as  earnestly  as  any  who  had 
preceded  her. 

"The  Hurons  can't  understand  the  difference  between 
white  people  and  themselves, "  she  said,  "or  they  wouldn't 


406  THE   DEERSLAYER 

ask  Judith  and  me  to  go  and  live  in  their  villages.  God 
has  given  one  country  to  the  red  men  and  another  to  us. 
He  meant  us  to  live  apart.  Then  mother  always  said  that 
we  should  never  dwell  with  any  but  Christians,  if  possible, 
and  that  is  a  reason  why  we  can't  go.  This  lake  is  ours, 
and  we  won't  leave  it.  Father's  and  mother's  graves  are 
in  it,  and  even  the  worst  Indians  love  to  stay  near  the 
graves  of  their  fathers.  I  will  come  and  see  them  again, 
if  they  wish  me  to,  and  read  more  out  of  the  Bible  to 
them,  but  I  can't  quit  father's  and  mother's  graves." 

"That  will  do — that  will  do,  Hetty,  just  as  well  as  if 
you  sent  them  a  message  twice  as  long,"  interrupted  the 
hunter.  "I'll  tell  'em  all  you've  said,  and  all  you  mean, 
and  I'll  answer  for  it,  that  they'll  be  easily  satisfied. 
Now,  Judith,  your  turn  comes  next,  and  then  this  part  of 
my  arr'nd  will  be  tarminated  for  the  night." 

Judith  manifested  a  reluctance  to  give  her  reply,  that 
had  awakened  a  little  curiosity  in  the  messenger.  Judg 
ing  from  her  known  spirit,  he  had  never  supposed  the 
girl  would  be  less  true  to  her  feelings  and  principles  than 
Hist  or  Hetty;  and  yet  there  was  a  visible  wavering  of 
purpose  that  rendered  him  slightly  uneasy.  Even  now, 
when  directly  required  to  speak,  she  seemed  to  hesitate; 
nor  did  she  open  her  lips  until  the  profound  silence  told 
her  how  anxiously  her  words  were  expected.  Then,  in 
deed  she  spoke,  but  it  was  doubtingly  and  with  reluctance. 

"Tell  me,  first — tell  us,  first,  Deerslayer, "  she  com 
menced,  repeating  the  words  merely  to  change  the  em 
phasis,  "what  effect  will  our  answers  have  on  your  fate? 
If  you  are  to  be  the  sacrifice  of  our  spirit,  it  would  have 
been  better  had  we  all  been  more  wary  as  to  the  language 
we  use.  What,  then,  are  likely  to  be  the  consequences  to 
yourself?" 

"Lord,  Judith,  you  might  as  well  ask  me  which  way 
the  wind  will  blow  next  week,  or  what  will  be  the  age  of 
the  next  deer  that  will  be  shot!  I  can  only  say  that  their 
faces  look  a  little  dark  upon  me,  but  it  doesn't  thunder 
every  time  a  black  cloud  rises,  nor  does  every  puff  of 
wind  blow  up  rain.  That's  a  question,  therefore,  much 
more  easily  put  than  answered." 

"So  is  this  message  of  the  Iroquois  to  me,"  answered 


THE   DEERSLAYER  407 

Judith,  rising,  as  if  she  had  determined  on  her  own  course 
for  the  present.  "My  answer  shall  be  given,  Deerslayer, 
after  you  and  I  have  talked  together  alone,  when  the 
others  have  laid  themselves  down  for  the  night. ' ' 

There  was  a  decision  in  the  manner  of  the  girl  that 
disposed  Deerslayer  to  comply,  and  this  he  did  the  more 
readily  as  the  delay  could  produce  no  material  conse 
quences,  one  way  or  the  other.  The  meeting  no\v  broke 
up,  Hurry  announcing  his  resolution  to  leave  them  speed 
ily.  During  the  hour  that  was  suffered  to  intervene,  in 
order  that  the  darkness  might  deepen  before  the  frontier- 
man  took  his  departure,  the  different  individuals  occupied 
themselves  in  their  customary  modes,  the  hunter,  in 
particular,  passing  most  of  the  time  in  making  further 
inquiries  into  the  perfection  of  the  rifle  already  men 
tioned. 

The  hour  of  nine  soon  arrived,  however,  and  then  it 
had  been  determined  that  Hurry  should  commence  his 
journey.  Instead  of  making  his  adieus  frankly,  and  in  a 
generous  spirit,  the  little  he  thought  it  necessary  to  say 
was  uttered  sullenly  and  in  coldness.  Resentment  at 
what  he  considered  Judith's  obstinacy  was  blended  with 
mortification  at  the  career  he  had  run  since  reaching  the 
lake;  and,  as  is  usual  with  the  vulgar  and  narrow-minded, 
he  was  more  disposed  to  reproach  others  with  his  failures 
than  to  censure  himself.  Judith  gave  him  her  hand,  but 
it  was  quite  as  much  in  gladness  as  with  regret,  while 
the  two  Delawares  were  not  sorry  to  find  he  was  leaving 
them.  Of  the  whole  party,  Hetty  alone  betrayed  any  real 
feeling.  Bashfulness,  and  the  timidity  of  her  sex  and 
character,  kept  even  her  aloof,  so  that  Hurry  entered  the 
canoe,  where  Deerslayer  was  already  waiting  for  him, 
before  she  ventured  near  enough  to  be  observed.  Then, 
indeed,  the  girl  came  into  the  ark,  and  approached  its  end 
just  as  the  little  bark  was  turning  from  it,  with  a  move 
ment  so  light  and  steady  as  to  be  almost  imperceptible. 
An  impulse  of  feeling  now  overcame  her  timidity,  and 
Hetty  spoke. 

"Good-by,  Hurry," — she  called  out  in  her  sweet  voice, 
— "good-by,  dear  Hurry.  Take  care  of  yourself  in  the 
woods,  and  don't  stop  once  till  you  reach  the  garrison. 


408  THE   DEERSLAYER 

The  leaves  on  the  trees  are  scarcely  plentier  than  the 
Hurons  round  the  lake,  and  they'd  not  treat  a  strong  man 
like  you  as  kindly  as  they  treat  me." 

The  ascendency  which  March  had  obtained  over  this 
feeble-minded,  but  right-thinking  and  right-feeling  girl, 
arose  from  a  law  of  nature.  Her  senses  had  been  captivated 
by  his  personal  advantages;  and  her  moral  communications 
with  him  had  never  been  sufficiently  intimate  to  counter 
act  an  effect  that  must  have  been  otherwise  lessened,  even 
with  one  whose  mind  was  as  obtuse  as  her  own.  Hetty's 
instinct  of  right,  if  such  a  term  can  be  applied  to  one  who 
seemed  taught  by  some  kind  spirit  how  to  steer  her  course 
with  unerring  accuracy  between  good  and  evil,  would 
have  revolted  at  Hurry's  character,  on  a  thousand  points, 
had  there  been  opportunities  to  enlighten  her;  but  while 
he  conversed  and  trifled  with  her  sister,  at  a  distance  from 
herself,  his  perfection  of  form  and  feature  had  been  left 
to  produce  their  influence  on  her  simple  imagination  and 
naturally  tender  feelings,  without  suffering  by  the  alloy  of 
his  opinions  and  coarseness.  It  is  true,  she  found  him  rough 
and  rude ;  but  her  father  was  that,  and  most  of  the  other 
men  she  had  seen;  and  that  which  she  believed  to  belong 
to  all  of  the  sex,  struck  her  less  unfavorably  in  Hurry's 
character  than  it  might  otherwise  have  done.  Still,  it 
Was  not  absolutely  love  that  Hetty  felt  for  Hurry,  nor  do 
we  wish  so  to  portray  it,  but  merely  that  awakening  sen 
sibility  and  admiration  which,  under  more  propitious 
circumstances,  and  always  supposing  no  untoward  revela 
tions  of  character  on  the  part  of  the  young  man  had 
supervened  to  prevent  it,  might  soon  have  ripened  into 
Chat  engrossing  feeling.  She  felt  for  him  an  incipient 
tenderness,  but  scarcely  any  passion.  Perhaps  the  nearest 
approach  to  the  latter  that  Hetty  had  manifested,  was  to 
be  seen  in  the  sensitiveness  which  had  caused  her  to  detect 
March's  predilection  for  her  sister;  for,  among  Judith's 
many  admirers,  this  was  the  only  instance  in  which  the 
dull  mind  of  the  girl  had  been  quickened  into  an  observa 
tion  of  the  circumstance. 

Hurry  received  so  little  sympathy  at  his  departure,  that 
the  gentle  tones  of  Hetty,  as  she  thus  called  after  him, 
sounded  soothingly.  He  checked  the  canoe,  and  with  one 


THE   DEERSLAYER  409 

sweep  of  his  powerful  arm  brought  it  back  to  the  side  of 
the  ark.  This  was  more  than  Hetty,  whose  courage  had 
risen  with  the  departure  of  her  hero,  expected,  and  she 
now  shrank  timidly  back  at  his  unexpected  return. 

"You're  a  good  gal,  Hetty,  and  I  can't  quit  you  with 
out  shaking  hands,"  said  March,  kindly.  "Judith,  a'ter 
all,  isn't  worth  as  much  as  you,  though  she  may  be  a 
trifle  better  looking.  As  to  wits,  if  honesty  and  fair 
dealing  with  a  young  man  is  a  sign  of  sense  in  a  young 
woman,  you're  worth  a  dozen  Judiths;  ay,  and  for  that 
matter,  most  young  women  of  my  acquaintance. ' ' 

"Don't  say  anything  against  Judith,  Harry,"  returned 
Hetty  imploring.  "Father's  gone,  and  mother's  gone, 
and  nobody's  left  but  Judith  and  me,  and  it  isn't  right 
for  sisters  to  speak  evil,  or  to  hear  evil,  of  each  other. 
Father's  in  the  lake,  and  so  is  mother,  and  we  should  all 
fear  God,  for  we  don't  know  when  we  may  be  in  the  lake, 
too." 

"That  sounds  reasonable,  child,  as  does  most  you  say. 
Well,  if  we  ever  meet  again,  Hetty,  you'd  find  a  fri'nd 
in  me,  let  your  sister  do  what  she  may.  I  was  no  great 
fri'nd  of  your  mother,  I'll  allow,  for  we  didn't  think 
alike  on  most  p'ints;  but  then  your  father,  Old  Tom,  and 
I  fitted  each  other  as  remarkably  as  a  buckskin  garment 
will  fit  any  reasonable  built  man.  I've  always  been  unan 
imous  of  opinion  that  old  Floating  Tom  Hutter,  at  the 
bottom,  was  a  good  fellow,  and  will  maintain  that  ag'in 
all  inimies  for  his  sake,  as  well  as  for  your'n." 

"Good -by,  Hurry,"  said  Hetty,  who  now  wanted  to 
hasten  the  young  man  off,  as  ardently  as  she  had  wished 
to  keep  him  only  the  moment  before,  though  she  could 
give  no  clearer  account  of  the  latter  than  of  the  former 
feeling;  "good-by,  Hurry;  take  care  of  yourself  in  the 
woods;  don't  halt  till  you  reach  the  garrison.  I'll  read  a 
chapter  in  the  Bible  for  you,  before  I  go  to  bed,  and 
think  of  you  in  my  prayers." 

This  was  touching  a  point  on  which  March  had  no 
sympathies,  and  without  more  words  he  shook  the  girl 
cordially  by  the  hand,  and  re-entered  the  canoe.  In  another 
minute  the  two  adventurers  were  a  hundred  feet  from  the 
ark,  and  half  a  dozen  had  not  elapsed  before  they  were 


410  THE   DEERSLAYER 

completely  lost  to  view.  Hetty  sighed  deeply,  and  re 
joined  her  sister  and  Hist. 

For  some  time  Deerslayer  and  his  companion  paddled 
ahead  in  silence.  It  had  been  determined  to  land  Hurry 
at  the  precise  point  where  he  is  represented,  in  the  com 
mencement  of  our  tale,  as  having  embarked;  not  only  as 
a  place  little  likely  to  be  watched  by  the  Hurons,  but 
because  he  was  sufficiently  familiar  with  the  signs  of  the 
woods,  at  that  spot,  to  thread  his  way  through  them  in 
the  dark.  Thither,  then,  the  light  craft  proceeded,  being 
urged  as  diligently  and  as  swiftly  as  two  vigorous  and 
skillful  canoe-men  could  force  their  little  vessel  through, 
or  rather  over,  the  water.  Less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
sufficed  for  the  object;  and,  at  the  end  of  that  time,  being 
within  the  shadows  of  the  shore,  and  quite  near  the  point 
they  sought,  each  ceased  his  efforts  in  order  to  make 
their  parting  communications  out  of  ear-shot  of  any 
straggler  who  might  happen  to  be  in  the  neighborhood. 

"You  will  do  well  to  persuade  the  officers  at  the  gar 
rison  to  lead  out  a  party  agi'n  these  vagabonds,  as  soon 
as  you  get  in,  Hurry,"  Deerslayer  commenced;  "and 
you'll  do  better  if  you  volunteer  to  guide  it  up  yourself. 
You  know  the  paths,  and  the  shape  of  the  lake,  and  the 
natur'  of  the  land,  and  can  do  it  better  than  a  common, 
gin'ralizing  scout.  Strike  at  the  Huron  camp  first,  and 
follow  the  signs  that  will  then  show  themselves.  A  few 
looks  at  the  hut  and  the  ark  will  satisfy  you  as  to  the  state 
of  the  Delaware  and  the  women;  and,  at  any  rate,  there'll 
be  a  fine  opportunity  to  fall  on  the  Mingo  trail,  and  to 
make  a  mark  on  the  memories  of  the  blackguards  that 
they'll  be  apt  to  carry  with  'em  a  long  time.  It  won't  be 
likely  to  make  much  difference  with  me,  since  that  matter 
will  be  detarmined  afore  to-morrow's  sun  has  set;  but  it 
may  make  a  great  change  in  Judith  and  Hetty's  hopes 
and  prospects!" 

"And  as  for  yourself,  Nathaniel,"  Hurry  inquired  with 
more  interest  than  he  was  accustomed  to  betray  in  the 
welfare  of  others, — "and  as  for  yourself,  what  do  you 
think  is  likely  to  turn  up?" 

"The  Lord  in  his  wisdom  only  can  tell,  Henry  March! 
The  clouds  look  black  and  threatening,  and  I  keep  my 


THE   DEERSLAYER  411 

mind  in  a  state  to  meet  the  worst.  Vengeful  feelin's  are 
uppermost  in  the  hearts  of  the  Mingoes,  and  any  little 
disapp'intment  about  the  plunder,  or  the  prisoners  or 
Hist,  may  make  the  torments  sartain.  The  Lord,  in  his 
wisdom,  can  only  detarmine  my  fate,  or  your'n!" 

"This  is  a  black  business,  and  ought  to  be  put  a  stop 
to  in  some  way  or  other,"  answered  Hurry,  confounding 
the  distinctions  between  right  and  wrong  as  is  usual  with 
selfish  and  vulgar  men.  "I  heartily  wish  old  Hutter  and 
I  had  scalped  every  creatur'  in  their  camp,  the  night  we 
first  landed  with  that  capital  object!  Had  you  not  held 
back,  Deerslayer,  it  might  have  been  done;  then  you 
wouldn't  have  found  yourself  at  the  last  moment,  in  the 
desperate  condition  you  mention." 

"  'Twould  have  been  better  had  you  said  you  wished 
you  had  never  attempted  to  do  what  it  little  becomes  any 
white  man's  gifts  to  undertake;  in  which  case,  not  only 
might  we  have  kept  from  coming  to  blows,  but  Thomas 
Hutter  would  now  have  been  living,  and  the  hearts  of  the 
savages  would  be  less  given  to  vengeance.  The  death  of 
that  young  woman,  too,  was  oncalled  for,  Henry  March, 
and  leaves  a  heavy  load  on  our  names,  if  not  on  our  con 
sciences!" 

This  was  so  apparent,  and  it  seemed  so  obvious  to 
Hurry  himself,  at  the  moment,  that  he  dashed  his  paddle 
into  the  water,  and  began  to  urge  the  canoe  towards  the 
shore,  as  if  bent  only  on  running  away  from  his  own  lively 
remorse.  His  companion  humored  this  feverish  desire 
for  change,  and  in  a  minute  or  two  the  bows  of  the  boat 
grated  lightly  on  the  shingle  of  the  beach.  To  land, 
shoulder  his  pack  and  rifle,  and  to  get  ready  for  his 
march,  occupied  Hurry  but  an  instant,  and  with  a  growl 
ing  adieu  he  had  already  commenced  his  march  when  a 
sudden  twinge  of  feeling  brought  him  to  a  dead  stop  and 
immediately  after  to  the  other's  side. 

"You  cannot  mean  to  give  yourself  up  ag'in  to 
them  murdering  savages,  Deerslayer!"  he  said,  quite  as 
much  in  angry  remonstrance  as  with  generous  feeling. 
"  'Twould  be  the  act  of  a  madman  or  a  fool!" 

"There's  them  thinks  it  madness  to  keep  their  words, 
and  there's  them  that  don't,  Hurry  Harry.  You  may  be 


412  THE   DEERSLAYER 

one  of  the  first,  but  I'm  one  of  the  last.  No  red-skin 
breathing  shall  have  it  in  his  power  to  say  that  a  Mingo 
minds  his  word  more  than  a  man  of  white  blood  and 
white  gifts,  in  anything  that  consarns  me.  I'm  out  on  a 
furlough,  and  if  I've  strength  and  reason,  I'll  go  in  on  a 
furlough  afore  noon  to-morrow!" 

"What's  an  Injin,  or  a  word  passed,  or  a  furlough 
taken  from  creatur's  like  them,  that  have  neither  souls 
nor  names?" 

"If  they've  got  neither  souls  nor  names,  you  and  I 
have  both,  Harry  March,  and  one  is  accountable  for  the 
other.  This  furlough  is  not,  as  you  seem  to  think,  a 
matter  altogether  atween  me  and  the  Mingoes,  seeing  it 
is  a  solemn  bargain  made  atween  me  and  God.  He  who 
thinks  that  he  can  say  what  he  pleases,  in  his  distress, 
and  that  'twill  all  pass  for  nothing,  because  'tis  uttered 
in  the  forest,  and  into  red-men's  ears,  know  little  of  his 
situation,  and  hopes  and  wants.  The  words  are  said  to 
the  ears  of  the  Almighty.  The  air  is  his  breath,  and  the 
light  of  the  sun  is  little  more  than  a  glance  of  his  eye. 
Farewell,  Harry;  we  may  not  meet  ag'in;  but  I  would 
never  wish  you  to  treat  a  furlough,  or  any  other  solemn 
thing  that  your  Christian  God  has  been  called  on  to  wit 
ness,  as  a  duty  so  light  that  it  may  be  forgotten  according 
to  the  wants  of  the  body,  or  even  according  to  the  crav 
ings  of  the  spirit." 

March  was  now  glad  again  to  escape.  It  was  impossible 
that  he  could  enter  into  the  sentiments  that  ennobled  his 
companion,  and  he  broke  away  from  both  with  an  impa 
tience  that  caused  him  secretly  to  curse  the  folly  that 
could  induce  a  man  to  rush,  as  it  were,  on  his  own  de 
struction.  Deerslayer,  on  the  contrary,  manifested  no 
such  excitement.  Sustained  by  his  principles,  inflexible 
in  the  purpose  of  acting  up  to  them,  and  superior  to  any 
unmanly  apprehension,  he  regarded  all  before  him  as  a 
matter  of  course,  and  no  more  thought  of  making  any 
unworthy  attempt  to  avoid  it,  than  a  Mussulman  thinks 
of  counteracting  the  decrees  of  Providence.  He  stood 
calmly  on  the  shore,  listening  to  the  reckless  tread  with 
which  Hurry  betrayed  his  progress  through  the  bushes, 
shook  his  head  in  dissatisfaction  at  the  want  of  caution. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  413 

and  then  stepped  quietly  into  his  canoe.  Before  he 
dropped  the  paddle  again  into  the  water,  the  young  man 
gazed  about  him  at  the  scene  presented  by  the  star-lit 
night.  This  was  the  spot  where  he  had  first  laid  his  eyes 
on  the  beautiful  sheet  of  water  on  which  he  floated.  If  it 
was  then  glorious  in  the  bright  light  of  summer's  noon 
tide,  it  was  now  sad  and  melancholy  under  the  shadows 
of  night.  The  mountains  rose  around  it,  like  black  bar 
riers  to  exclude  the  outer  world;  and  the  gleams  of  pale 
light  that  rested  on  the  broader  parts  of  the  basin,  were 
no  bad  symbols  of  the  faintness  of  the  hopes  that  were  so 
dimly  visible  in  his  own  future.  Sighing  heavily,  he 
pushed  the  canoe  from  the  land,  and  took  his  way  back 
with  steady  diligence  towards  the  ark  and  the  castle. 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

"  Thy  secret  pleasures  turned  to  open  shame  ; 
Thy  private  feasting  to  a  public  fast ; 
Thy  smoothing  titles  to  a  ragged  name  ; 
Thy  sugared  tongue  to  bitter  wormwood  taste  ; 
Thy  violet  %-anities  can  never  last." 

— RAPE  OF  LCCRECE. 

JUDITH  was  waiting  the  return  of  Deerslayer,  on  the 
platform,  with  stifled  impatience,  when  the  latter  reached 
the  hut.  Hist  and  Hetty  were  both  in  a  deep  sleep,  on 
the  bed  usually  occupied  by  the  two  daughters  of  the 
house,  and  the  Delaware  was  stretched  on  the  floor  of  the 
adjoining  room,  his  rifle  at  his  side,  and  a  blanket  over 
him,  already  dreaming  of  the  events  of  the  last  few  days. 
There  was  a  lamp  burning  in  the  ark,  for  the  family  was 
accustomed  to  indulge  in  this  luxury  on  extraordinary 
occasions,  and  possessed  the  means,  the  vessel  being  of  a 
form  and  material  to  render  it  probable  it  had  once  been 
an  occupant  of  the  chest. 

As  soon  as  the  girl  got  a  glimpse  of  the  canoe,  she 
ceased  her  hurried  walk  up  and  down  the  platform,  and 
stood  ready  to  receive  the  young  man,  whose  return  she 
had  now  been  anxiously  expecting  for  some  time.  She 
helped  him  to  fasten  the  canoe,  and  by  aiding  in  the  other 
little  similar  employments,  manifested  her  desire  to  reach 
a  moment  of  liberty  as  soon  as  possible.  When  this  was 
done,  in  answer  to  an  inquiry  of  his  she  informed  him  of 
the  manner  in  which  their  companions  had  disposed  of 
themselves.  He  listened  attentively,  for  the  manner  of 
the  girl  was  so  earnest  and  impressive  as  to  apprise  him 
that  she  had  something  on  her  mind  of  more  than  com 
mon  concern. 

"And  now,  Deerslayer,"  Judith  continued,  "you  see  I 
have  lighted  the  lamp,  and  put  it  in  the  cabin  of  the  ark. 
That  is  never  done  with  us,  unless  on  great  occasions,  and 
I  consider  this  night  as  the  most  important  of  my  life. 

414 


THE    DEERSLAYER  415 

Will  you  follow  me  and  see  what  I  have  to  show  you — 
hear  what  I  have  to  say?" 

The  hunter  was  a  little  surprised;  but  making  no  ob 
jections,  both  were  soon  in  the  scow,  and  in  the  room  that 
contained  the  light.  Here  two  stools  were  placed  at  the 
side  of  the  chest,  with  the  lamp  on  another,  and  a  table 
near  by  to  receive  the  different  articles,  as  they  might  be 
brought  to  view.  This  arrangement  had  its  rise  in  the 
feverish  impatience  of  the  girl,  which  could  brook  no 
delay  that  it  was  in  her  power  to  obviate.  Even  all  the 
padlocks  were  removed,  and  it  only  remained  to  raise 
the  heavy  lid,  and  to  expose  the  treasures  of  this  long- 
secreted  hoard. 

"I  see,  in  part,  what  all  this  means,"  observed  Deer- 
slayer,  "yes,  I  see  through  it,  in  part.  But  why  is  not 
Hetty  present?  Now  Thomas  Hutter  is  gone,  she  is  one 
of  the  owners  of  these  cur'osities,  and  ought  to  see  them 
opened  and  handled." 

"Hetty  sleeps,"  answered  Judith,  hastily.  "Happily 
for  her,  fine  clothes  and  riches  have  no  charms.  Besides, 
she  has  this  night  given  her  share  of  all  that  the  chest 
may  hold  to  me,  that  I  may  do  with  it  as  I  please." 

"Is  poor  Hetty  composs  enough  for  that,  Judith?"  de 
manded  the  just-minded  young  man.  "It's  a  good  rule, 
and  a  righteous  one,  never  to  take  when  those  that  give 
don't  know  the  valie  of  their  gifts;  and  such  as  God  has 
visited  heavily  in  their  wits,  ought  to  be  dealt  with  as 
carefully  as  children  that  haven't  yet  come  to  their  under 
standings." 

Judith  was  hurt  at  this  rebuke,  coming  from  the  person 
it  did;  but  she  would  have  felt  it  far  more  keenly  had 
not  her  conscience  fully  acquitted  her  of  any  unjust  in 
tentions  towards  her  feeble-minded  but  confiding  sister. 
It  was  not  a  moment,  however,  to  betray  any  of  her  usual 
mountings  of  the  spirit,  and  she  smothered  the  passing 
sensation  in  the  desire  to  come  to  the  great  object  she 
had  in  view. 

"Hetty  will  not  be  wronged,"  she  mildly  answered; 
"she  even  knows  not  only  what  I  am  about  to  do,  Deer- 
slayer,  but  why  I  do  it.  So  take  your  seat,  raise  the  lid 
of  the  chest,  and  this  time  we  will  go  to  the  bottom.  I 


:.:  ;.:  : 


• 


,  :  ~ 


:     -.,-,:  -    -.:  :V      ; 


.-.."    -----  -     _  -   _  ;,;_-   . --  ^   -  -    -:_---    -  -   -    -  : 

:  i-      i/      -     ;:  -  -        :  -.  :--   ::-:  =  ::::::.:       :       U; 

*       -7   '      :      ^    __  -        1^~ 

-        i  -     •    LI        T  -  r:  .-  -     .   :   -  _    r  :      ~-i  ^  -   i.:  ,  T   :    :: 


418  THE   DEERSLAYER 

next  point  was  to  find  a  key;  but  search  proving  ineffec 
tual,  it  was  determined  to  force  the  lock.  This  Deerslayer 
soon  effected  by  the  aid  of  an  iron  instrument,  and  it  was 
found  that  the  interior  was  nearly  filled  with  papers. 
Many  were  letters;  some  fragments  of  manuscripts,  mem 
orandums,  accounts,  and  other  similar  documents.  The 
hawk  does  not  pounce  upon  the  chicken  with  a  more 
sudden  swoop,  than  Judith  sprang  forward  to  seize  this 
mine  of  hitherto  concealed  knowledge.  Her  education, 
as  the  reader  will  have  perceived,  was  far  superior  to  her 
situation  in  life,  and  her  eye  glanced  over  page  after 
page  of  the  letters,  with  a  readiness  that  her  schooling 
supplied,  and  with  an  avidity  that  found  its  origin  in 
her  feelings.  At  first,  it  was  evident  that  the  girl  was 
gratified,  and,  we  may  add,  with  reason;  for  the  letters, 
written  by  females,  in  innocence  and  affection,  were  of  a 
character  to  cause  her  to  feel  proud  of  those  with  whom 
she  had  every  reason  to  think  she  was  closely  connected 
by  the  ties  of  blood.  It  does  not  come  within  the  scope 
of  our  plan  to  give  more  of  these  epistles,  however,  than 
a  general  idea  of  their  contents,  and  this  will  best  be 
done  by  describing  the  effect  they  produced  on  the  man 
ner,  appearance,  and  feeling  of  her  who  was  so  eagerly 
perusing  them. 

It  has  been  said  already  that  Judith  was  much  gratified 
with  the  letters  that  first  met  her  eye.  They  contained 
the  correspondence  of  an  affectionate  and  intelligent 
mother  to  an  absent  daughter,  with  such  allusions  to  the 
answers  as  served,  in  a  great  measure,  to  fill  up  the 
vacuum  left  by  the  replies.  They  were  not  without 
admonitions  and  warnings,  however,  and  Judith  felt  the 
blood  mounting  to  her  temples,  and  a  cold  shudder  suc 
ceeding,  as  she  read  one  in  which  the  propriety  of  the 
daughter's  indulging  in  as  much  intimacy,  as  had  evi 
dently  been  described  in  one  of  the  daughter's  own  letters 
with  an  officer  "who  came  from  Europe,  and  who  could 
hardly  be  supposed  to  wish  to  form  an  honorable  connec 
tion  in  America,"  was  rather  coldly  commented  on  by  the 
mother.  What  rendered  it  singular,  was  the  fact  that 
the  signatures  had  been  carefully  cut  from  every  one  of 
these  letters,  and  wherever  a  name  occurred  in  the  body 


THE   DEERSLAYER  419 

of  the  epistles,  it  had  been  erased  with  so  much  diligence 
as  to  render  it  impossible  to  read  it.  They  had  all  been 
inclosed  in  envelopes  according  to  the  fashion  of  the  age, 
and  not  an  address  either  was  to  be  found.  Still,  the 
letters  themselves  had  been  religiously  preserved,  and 
Judith  thought  she  could  discover  traces  of  tears  remain 
ing  on  several.  She  now  remembered  to  have  seen  the 
little  trunk  in  her  mother's  keeping,  previously  to  her 
death,  and  she  supposed  it  had  first  been  deposited  in  the 
chest,  along  the  other  forgotten  or  concealed  objects,  when 
the  letters  could  no  longer  contribute  to  that  parent's 
grief  or  happiness. 

Next  came  another  bundle,  and  these  were  filled  with 
the  protestations  of  love,  written  with  passion  certainly, 
but  also  with  that  deceit  which  men  so  often  think  it 
justifiable  to  use  to  the  other  sex.  Judith  had  shed  tears 
abundantly  over  the  first  packet,  but  now  she  felt  a  senti 
ment  of  indignation  and  pride  better  sustaining  her. 
Her  hand  shook,  however,  and  cold  shivers  again  passed 
through  her  frame,  as  she  discovered  a  few  points  of 
strong  resemblance  between  these  letters  and  some  it  had 
been  her  own  fate  to  receive.  Once,  indeed,  she  laid  the 
packet  down,  bowed  her  head  to  her  knees,  and  seemed 
nearly  convulsed.  All  this  time,  Deerslayer  sat  a  silent 
but  attentive  observer  of  everything  that  passed.  As 
Judith  read  a  letter  she  put  it  into  his  hands  to  hold, 
until  she  could  peruse  the  next'  but  this  seemed  in  no 
degree  to  enlighten  her  companion,  as  he  was  totally 
unable  to  read.  Nevertheless,  he  was  not  entirely  at 
fault  in  discovering  the  passions  that  were  contending  in 
the  bosom  of  the  fair  creature  by  his  side,  and  as  occa 
sional  sentences  escaped  her  in  murmurs,  he  was  nearer 
the  truth,  in  his  divinations  or  conjectures,  than  the  girl 
would  have  been  pleased  at  discovering. 

Judith  had  commenced  at  the  earliest  letters,  luckily 
for  a  ready  comprehension  of  the  tale  they  told;  for  they 
were  carefully  arranged  in  chronological  order,  and  to  any 
one  who  would  take  the  trouble  to  peruse  them,  would 
have  revealed  a  sad  history  of  gratified  passion,  coldness, 
and  finally,  of  aversion.  As  she  obtained  the  clue  to 
their  import,  her  impatience  could  not  admit  of  delay, 


420  THE   DEERSLAYER 

and  she  soon  got  to  glancing  her  eyes  over  a  page,  by  way 
of  coming  at  the  truth  in  the  briefest  manner  possible. 
By  adopting  this  expedient,  one  to  which  all  who  are 
eager  to  arrive  at  results  without  encumbering  them 
selves  with  details,  are  so  apt  to  resort,  Judith  made 
a  rapid  progress  in  this  melancholy  revelation  of  her 
mother's  failings  and  punishment.  She  saw  that  the 
period  of  her  own  birth  was  distinctly  referred  to,  and 
even  learned  that  the  homely  name  she  bore  was  given 
her  by  the  father,  of  whose  person  she  retained  so  faint 
an  impression  as  to  resemble  a  dream.  This  name  was 
not  obliterated  from  the  text  of  the  letters,  but  stood  as 
if  nothing  was  to  be  gained  by  erasing  it.  Hetty's  birth 
was  mentioned  once,  and  in  that  instance  the  name  was 
the  mother's;  but  ere  this  period  was  reached  came  the 
signs  of  coldness,  shadowing  forth  the  desertion  that 
was  so  soon  to  follow.  It  was  in  this  stage  of  the  corre 
spondence  that  her  mother  had  recourse  to  the  plan  of 
copying  her  own  epistles.  They  were  but  few,  but  were 
eloquent  with  the  feelings  of  blighted  affection  and  con 
trition.  Judith  sobbed  over  them  until  again  and  again 
she  felt  compelled  to  lay  them  aside,  from  sheer  physical 
inability  to  see,  her  eyes  being  literally  obscured  with 
tears.  Still  she  returned  to  the  task  with  increasing 
interest,  and  finally  succeeded  in  reaching  the  end  of  the 
latest  communication  that  had  probably  ever  passed  be 
tween  her  parents. 

All  this  occupied  fully  an  hour;  for  near  a  hundred  let 
ters  were  glanced  at,  and  some  twenty  had  been  closely  read. 
The  truth  now  shone  clear  upon  the  acute  mind  of  Judith 
so  far  as  her  own  birth  and  that  of  Hetty  were  concerned. 
She  sickened  at  the  conviction,  and,  for  the  moment,  the 
rest  of  the  world  seemed  to  be  cut  off  from  her,  and  she 
had  now  additional  reasons  for  wishing  to  pass  the  re 
mainder  of  her  life  on  the  lake,  where  she  had  already 
seen  so  many  bright  and  so  many  sorrowing  days. 

There  yet  remained  more  letters  to  examine.  Judith 
found  these  were  a  correspondence  between  her  mother 
and  Thomas  Hovey.  The  originals  of  both  parties  were 
carefully  arranged,  letter  and  answer,  side  by  side;  and 
they  told  the  early  history  of  the  connection  between  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  421 

ill-assorted  pair  far  more  plainly  than  Judith  wished  to 
learn  it.  Her  mother  made  the  advances  towards  a  mar 
riage,  to  the  surprise,  not  to  say  horror,  of  her  daughter; 
and  she  actually  found  a  relief  when  she  discovered  traces 
of  what  struck  her  as  insanity,  or  a  morbid  disposition, 
bordering  on  that  dire  calamity,  in  the  earlier  letters  of 
that  ill-fated  woman.  The  answers  of  Hovey  were  coarse 
and  illiterate,  though  they  manifested  a  sufficient  desire 
to  obtain  the  hand  of  a  woman  of  singular  personal  at 
tractions,  and  whose  great  error  he  was  willing  to  over 
look,  for  the  advantage  of  possessing  one  every  way  so 
much  his  superior,  and  who,  it  also  appeared,  was  not 
altogether  destitute  of  money.  The  remainder  of  this 
part  of  the  correspondence  was  brief;  and  it  was  soon 
confined  to  a  few  communications  on  business,  in  which 
the  miserable  wife  hastened  the  absent  husband  in  his 
preparations  to  abandon  a  world  which  there  was  a  suffi 
cient  reason  to  think  was  as  dangerous  to  one  of  the 
parties  as  it  was  disagreeable  to  the  other.  But  a  single 
expression  had  escaped  her  mother,  by  which  Judith  could 
get  a  clue  to  the  motives  that  had  induced  her  to  marry 
Hovey,  or  Hutter;  and  this  she  found  was  that  feeling  of 
resentment  which  so  often  tempts  the  injured  to  inflict 
wrongs  on  themselves,  by  way  of  heaping  coals  on  the 
heads  of  those  through  whom  they  have  suffered.  Judith 
had  enough  of  the  spirit  of  that  mother  to  comprehend 
this  sentiment,  and  for  a  moment  did  she  see  the  exceed 
ing  folly  which  permitted  such  revengeful  feelings  to  get 
the  ascendency. 

There,  what  may  be  called  the  historical  part  of  the 
papers  ceased.  Among  the  loose  fragments,  however, 
was  an  old  newspaper  that  contained  a  proclamation  offer 
ing  a  reward  for  the  apprehension  of  certain  freebooters 
by  name,  among  which  was  that  of  Thomas  Hovey.  The 
attention  of  the  girl  was  drawn  to  the  proclamation,  and 
to  this  particular  name,  by  the  circumstance  that  black 
lines  had  been  drawn  under  both  in  ink.  Nothing  else  was 
found  among  the  papers  that  could  lead  to  a  discovery  of 
either  the  name  or  the  place  of  residence  of  the  wife  of 
Hutter.  All  the  dates,  signatures,  and  addresses  had  been 
cut  from  the  letters^  and  wherever  a  word  occurred  in  the 


422  THE   DEERSLAYER 

body  of  the  communications  that  might  furnish  a  clue,  it 
was  scrupulously  erased.  Thus  Judith  found  all  her  hopes 
of  ascertaining  who  her  parents  were,  defeated,  and  she 
was  obliged  to  fall  back  on  her  own  resources  and  habits 
for  everything  connected  with  the  future.  Her  recollec 
tion  of  her  mother's  manners,  conversation,  and  sufferings 
filled  up  many  a  gap  in  the  historical  facts  she  had  now 
discovered;  and  the  truth  in  its  outlines  stood  sufficiently 
distinct  before  her,  to  take  away  all  desire,  indeed,  to 
possess  any  more  details.  Throwing  herself  back  in  her 
seat,  she  simply  desired  her  companion  to  finish  the  exam 
ination  of  the  other  articles  in  the  chest,  as  it  might  yet 
contain  something  of  importance 

"I'll  do  it,  Judith;  I'll  do  it,"  returned  the  patient 
Deerslayer;  "but  if  there's  many  more  letters  to  read,  we 
shall  see  the  sun  ag'in  afore  you've  got  through  with  the 
reading  of  them!  Two  good  hours  have  you  been  looking 
at  them  bits  of  paper!" 

"They  tell  me  of  my  parents,  Deerslayer,  and  have 
settled  my  plans  for  life.  A  girl  may  be  excused,  who 
reads  about  her  own  father  and  mother,  and  that,  too,  for 
the  first  time  in  her  life!  I  am  sorry  to  have  kept  you 
waiting." 

"Never  mind  me,  gal;  never  mind  me.  It  matters  little 
whether  I  sleep  or  watch ;  but  though  you  be  pleasant  to 
look  at,  and  are  so  handsome,  Judith,  it  is  not  altogether 
agreeable  to  sit  so  long  to  behold  you  shedding  tears. 
I  know  that  tears  don't  kill,  and  that  some  people  are 
better  for  shedding  a  few  now  and  then,  especially  women; 
but  I'd  rather  see  you  smile  any  time,  Judith,  than  see 
you  weep. ' ' 

This  gallant  speech  was  rewarded  with  a  sweet,  though 
a  melancholy,  smile;  and  then  the  girl  again  desired  her 
companion  to  finish  the  examination  of  the  chest.  The 
search  necessarily  continued  some  time,  during  which 
Judith  collected  her  thoughts  and  regained  her  composure. 
She  took  no  part  in  the  search,  leaving  everything  to  the 
young  man,  looking  listlessly  herself  at  the  different 
articles  that  came  uppermost.  Nothing  further  of  much 
interest  or  value,  however,  was  found.  A  sword  or  two, 
such  as  were  then  worn  by  gentlemen,  some  buckles  of 


THE   DEERSLAYER  423 

silver,  or  so  richly  plated  as  to  appear  silver,  and  a  few 
handsome  articles  of  female  dress,  composed  the  principal 
discoveries.  It  struck  both  Judith  and  the  Deerslayer, 
notwithstanding,  that  some  of  these  things  might  be  made 
useful  in  effecting  a  negotiation  with  the  Iroquois,  though 
the  latter  saw  a  difficulty  in  the  way  that  was  not  so 
apparent  to  the  former.  The  conversation  was  first  re 
newed  in  connection  with  this  point. 

"And  now,  Deerslayer,"  said  Judith,  "we  may  talk  of 
yourself,  and  of  the  means  of  getting  you  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  Hurons.  Any  part,  or  all  of  what  you  have 
seen  in  the  chest,  will  be  cheerfully  given  by  me  and 
Hetty  to  set  you  at  liberty." 

"Well,  that's  ginerous, — yes,  'tis  downright  free 
hearted,  and  free-handed,  and  ginerous.  This  is  the  way 
with  women;  when  they  take  up  a  fri'ndship,  they  do 
nothing  by  halves,  but  are  as  willing  to  part  with  their 
property  as  if  it  had  no  valie  in  their  eyes.  Hows'ever, 
while  I  thank  you  both,  just  as  much  as  if  the  bargain 
was  made,  and  Rivenoak,  or  any  of  the  other  vagabonds 
was  here  to  accept  and  close  the  treaty,  there's  two  prin 
cipal  reasons  why  it  can  never  come  to  pass,  which  may 
be  as  well  told  at  once,  in  order  no  onlikely  expectations 
may  be  raised  in  you,  or  any  onjustifiable  hopes  in  me. ' ' 

"  What  reason  can  there  be,  if  Hetty  and  I  are  willing  to 
part  with  the  trifles  for  your  sake,  and  the  savages  are 
willing  to  receive  them?" 

"That's  it,  Judith;  you've  got  the  idees,  but  they're  a 
little  out  of  their  places,  as  if  a  hound  should  take  the 
back'ard  instead  of  the  leading  scent.  That  the  Mingoes 
will  be  willing  to  receive  them  things,  or  any  more  like 
'em,  you  may  have  to  offer,  is  probable  enough;  but 
whether  they'll  pay  valie  for  'em  is  quite  another  matter. 
Ask  yourself,  Judith,  if  any  one  should  send  you  a  mes 
sage  to  say  that,  for  such  or  such  a  price,  you  and  Hetty 
might  have  that  chist  and  all  it  holds,  whether  you'd 
think  it  worth  your  while  to  waste  many  words  on  the 
bargain?" 

"But  this  chest  and  all  it  holds  are  already  ours;  there 
is  no  reason  why  we  should  purchase  what  is  already  our 
own. ' ' 


424  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Just  so  the  Mingoes  calculate!  They  say  the  chist  is 
theirs  already;  or  as  good  as  theirs,  and  they'll  not  thank 
anybody  for  the  key." 

"I  understand  you,  Deerslayer;  surely  we  are  yet  in 
possession  of  the  lake,  and  we  can  keep  possession  of  it 
until  Hurry  sends  troops  to  drive  off  the  enemy.  This 
we  may  certainly  do,  provided  you  will  stay  with  us, 
instead  of  going  back  and  giving  yourself  up  a  prisoner 
again,  as  you  now  seem  determined  on." 

"That  Hurry  Karry  should  talk  in  this  way,  is  nat'ral 
and  according  to  the  gifts  of  the  man.  He  knows  no 
better,  and,  therefore,  he  is  little  likely  to  feel  or  to  act  any 
better;  but,  Judith,  I  put  it  to  your  heart  and  conscience, 
— would  you,  could  you  think  of  me  as  favorably  as  I  hope 
and  believe  you  now  do,  was  I  to  forget  my  furlough  and 
not  go  back  to  the  camp?" 

"To  think  more  favorably  of  you  than  I  now  do,  Deer- 
slayer,  would  not  be  easy;  but  I  might  continue  to  think 
as  favorably — at  least  it  seems  so — I  hope  I  could;  for  a 
world  wouldn't  tempt  me  to  let  you  do  anything  that 
might  change  my  real  opinion  of  you." 

"Then  don't  try  to  entice  me  to  overlook  my  furlough, 
gal!  A  furlough  is  a  sacred  thing  among  warriors,  and 
men  that  carry  their  lives  in  their  hands,  as  we  of  the 
forests  do;  and  what  a  grievous  disapp'intment  would  it 
be  to  old  Tamenund,  and  to  Uncas,  the  father  of  the  Sar- 
pent,  and  to  my  other  fri'nds  in  the  tribe,  if  I  was  to 
disgrace  myself  on  my  very  first  war-path?  This  you  will 
parceive,  moreover,  Judith,  is  without  laying  any  stress 
on  nat'ral  gifts,  and  a  white  man's  duties,  to  say  nothing 
of  conscience.  The  last  is  king  with  me,  and  I  try  never 
to  dispute  his  orders." 

"I  believe  you  are  right,  Deerslayer,"  returned  the 
girl,  after  a  little  reflection,  and  in  a  saddened  voice;  "a 
man  like  you  ought  not  to  act  as  the  selfish  and  dishonest 
would  be  apt  to  act;  you  must,  indeed,  go  back.  We  will 
talk  no  more  of  this,  then;  should  I  persuade  you  to  any 
thing  for  which  you  would  be  sorry  hereafter,  my  own 
regret  would  not  be  less  than  yours.  You  shall  not  have 
it  to  say,  Judith — I  scarce  know  by  what  name  to  call 
myself,  now!" 


THE   DEERSLAYER  425 

"And  why  not? — why  not,  gal?  Children  take  the 
names  of  their  parents  nat' rally  and  by  a  sort  of  gift, 
like;  and  why  shouldn't  you  and  Hetty  do  as  others  have 
done  afore  ye?  Hutter  was  the  old  man's  name,  and 
Hutter  should  be  the  name  of  his  darters;  at  least  until 
you  are  given  away  in  lawful  and  holy  wedlock. ' ' 

"I  am  Judith,  and  Judith  only,"  returned  the  girl, 
positively,  "until  the  law  gives  me  a  right  to  another 
name.  Never  will  I  use  that  of  Thomas  Hutter  again; 
nor,  with  my  consent,  shall  Hetty!  Hutter  was  not  his 
own  name,  I  find;  but  had  he  a  thousand  rights  to  it,  it 
would  give  none  to  me.  He  was  not  my  father,  thank 
Heaven;  though  I  may  have  no  reason  to  be  proud  of  him 
that  was!" 

"This  is  strange,"  said  Deerslayer,  looking  steadily  at 
the  excited  girl,  anxious  to  know  more,  but  unwilling  to 
inquire  into  matters  that  did  not  properly  concern  him; 
"yes,  this  is  very  strange  and  oncommon!  Thomas  Hut 
ter,  wasn't  Thomas  Hutter,  and  his  darters  weren't  his 
darters!  Who,  then,  could  Thomas  Hutter  be,  and  who 
are  his  darters?" 

"Did  you  never  hear  anything  whispered  against  the 
former  life  of  this  person,  Deerslayer?"  demanded  Judith. 
"Passing,  as  I  did,  for  his  child,  such  reports  reached 
even  me. " 

"I'll  not  deny  it,  Judith;  no,  I'll  not  deny  it.  Sartain 
things  have  been  said,  as  I've  told  you;  but  I'm  not  very 
credible  as  to  reports.  Young  as  I  am,  I've  lived  long 
enough  to  1'arn  there's  two  sorts  of  characters  in  the 
world.  Them  that  is  'arned  by  deeds,  and  them  that  is 
'arned  by  tongues;  and  so  I  prefer  to  see  and  judge  for 
myself,  instead  of  letting  every  jaw  that  chooses  to  wag 
become  my  judge.  Hurry  Harry  spoke  pretty  plainly  of 
the  whole  family,  as  we  journeyed  this-a-way;  and  he  did 
hint  something  consarning  Thomas  Hutter's  having  been 
a  free-liver  on  the  water,  in  his  younger  days.  By  free- 
liver,  I  mean  that  he  made  free  to  live  on  other  men's 
goods." 

"He  told  you  he  was  a  pirate — there  is  no  need  of 
mincing  matters  between  friends.  Read  that,  Deerslayer, 
and  you  will  see  that  he  told  you  no  more  than  the  truth. 


426  THE   DEERSLAYER 

This  Thomas  Hovey  was  the  Thomas  Hutter  you  knew,  as 
is  seen  by  these  letters." 

As  Judith  spoke,  with  a  flushed  cheek  and  eyes  dazzling 
with  the  brilliancy  of  excitement,  she  held  the  newspaper 
towards  her  companion,  pointing  to  the  proclamation  of  a 
colonial  governor,  already  mentioned. 

"Bless  you,  Judith!"  answered  the  other,  laughing; 
"you  might  as  well  ask  me  to  print  that — or,  for  that 
matter,  to  write  it.  My  edication  has  been  altogether  in 
the  woods;  the  only  book  I  read,  or  care  about  reading, 
is  the  one  which  God  has  opened  afore  all  his  creatur's  in 
the  noble  forests,  broad  lakes,  rolling  rivers,  blue  skies, 
and  the  winds,  and  tempests,  and  sunshine,  and  other 
glorious  marvels  of  the  land!  This  book  I  can  read,  and 
I  find  it  full  of  wisdom  and  knowledge." 

"I  crave  your  pardon,  Deerslayer, "  said  Judith  ear 
nestly,  more  abashed  than  was  her  wont,  in  finding  that 
she  had  inadvertently  made  an  appeal  that  might  wound 
her  companion's  pride.  "I  had  forgotten  your  manner  of 
life,  and  least  of  all  did  I  wish  to  hurt  your  feelings." 

"Hurt  my  feelin's! — why  should  it  hurt  my  feelin's  to 
ask  me  to  read,  when  I  can't  read?  I'm  a  hunter — and  I 
may  now  begin  to  say  a  warrior,  and  no  missionary;  and, 
therefore,  books  and  papers  are  of  no  account  with  such 
as  I.  No,  no,  Judith,"  and  here  the  young  man  laughed 
cordially;  "not  even  for  wads,  seeing  that  your  true  deer- 
killer  always  uses  the  hide  of  a  fa' an,  if  he's  got  one,  or 
some  other  bit  of  leather  suitably  prepared.  There's  some 
that  do  say,  all  that  stands  in  print  is  true;  in  which  case 
I'll  own  an  unl'arned  man  must  be  somewhat  of  a  loser; 
nevertheless,  it  can't  be  truer  than  that  which  God  has 
printed  with  his  own  hand,  in  the  sky,  and  the  woods,  and 
the  rivers,  and  the  springs." 

"Well,  then,  Hutter,  or  Hovey,  was  a  pirate;  and  being- 
no  father  of  mine,  I  cannot  wish  to  call  him  one.  His 
name  shall  no  longer  be  my  name. ' ' 

"If  you  dislike  the  name  of  that  man,  there's  the  name 
of  your  mother,  Judith.  Her  name  may  sarve  you  just 
as  good  a  turn. ' ' 

"I  do  not  know  it.  I've  looked  through  those  papers, 
Deerslayer,  in  the  hope  of  finding  some  hint  by  which  I 


THE   DEERSLAYER  427 

might  discover  who  my  mother  was;  but  there  is  no  more 
trace  of  the  past  in  that  respect,  than  the  bird  leaves  in 
the  air." 

"That's  both  oncommon  and  onreasonable.  Parents  are 
bound  to  give  their  offspring  a  name,  even  though  they 
give  'em  nothing  else.  Now,  I  come  of  a  humble  stock, 
though  we  have  white  gifts  and  a  white  natur' ;  but  we 
are  not  so  poorly  off  as  to  have  no  name.  Bumppo  we  are 
called,  and  I've  heard  it  said,"  a  touch  of  human  vanity 
glowing  on  his  cheek,  "that  the  time  has  been  when  the 
Bumppos  had  more  standing  and  note  among  mankind 
than  they  have  just  now." 

"They  never  deserved  them  more,  Deerslayer,  and  the 
name  is  a  good  one;  either  Hetty  or  myself  would  a 
thousand  times  rather  be  called  Hetty  Bumppo  or  Judith 
Bumppo,  than  to  be  called  Hetty  or  Judith  Hutter." 

"That's  a  moral  impossible,"  returned  the  hunter, 
good  humoredly,  "unless  one  of  you  should  so  far  demean 
herself  as  to  marry  me. ' ' 

Judith  could  not  refrain  from  smiling,  when  she  found 
how  simply  and  naturally  the  conversation  had  come 
round  to  the  very  point  at  which  she  aimed  to  bring  it. 
Although  far  from  unfeminine  or  forward  in  her  feelings 
or  her  habits,  the  girl  was  goaded  by  a  sense  of  wrongs 
not  altogether  merited,  incited  by  the  helplessness  of  a 
future  that  seemed  to  contain  no  resting-place,  and  still 
more  influenced  by  feelings  that  wrere  as  novel  to  her  as 
they  proved  to  be  active  and  engrossing.  The  opening 
was  too  good,  therefore,  to  be  neglected,  though  she  came 
to  the  subject  with  much  of  the  indirectness,  and,  per 
haps,  justifiable  address  of  a  woman. 

"I  do  not  think  Hetty  will  ever  marry,  Deerslayer," 
she  said;  "if  your  name  is  to  be  borne  by  either  of  us,  it 
must  be  borne  by  me." 

"There's  been  handsome  women,  too,  they  tell  me, 
among  the  Bumppos,  Judith,  afore  now,  and  should  you 
take  up  with  the  name,  oncommon  as  you  be,  in  this  par 
ticular,  them  that  knows  the  family  won't  be  altogether 
surprised." 

"This  is  not  talking  as  becomes  either  of  us,  Deer- 
slayer;  for  whatever  is  said  on  such  a  subject,  between 


428  THE   DEERSLAYER 

man  and  woman,  should  be  said  seriously,  and  in  sincerity 
of  heart.  Forgetting  the  shame  that  ought  to  keep  girls 
silent,  until  spoken  to,  in  most  cases,  I  will  deal  with  you 
as  frankly  as  I  know  one  of  your  generous  nature  will 
most  like  to  be  dealt  by.  Can  you — do  you  think,  Deer- 
slayer,  that  you  could  be  happy  with  such  a  wife  as  a 
woman  like  myself  would  make?" 

"A  woman  like  you,  Judith!  But  where 's  the  sense  in 
trifling  about  such  a  thing?  A  woman  like  you,  that  is 
handsome  enough  to  be  a  captain's  lady,  and  fine  enough, 
and,  so  far  as  I  know,  edication  enough,  would  be  little 
apt  to  think  of  becoming  my  wife.  I  suppose  young  gals 
that  feel  themselves  to  be  smart,  and  know  themselves  to 
be  handsome,  find  a  sartain  satisfaction  in  passing  their 
jokes  ag'in  them  that's  neither,  like  a  poor  Delaware 
hunter." 

This  was  said  good-naturedly,  but  not  without  a  be 
trayal  of  feeling  which  showed  that  something  like  mor 
tified  sensibility  was  blended  with  the  reply.  Nothing 
could  have  occurred  more  likely  to  awaken  all  Judith's 
generous  regrets,  or  to  aid  her  in  her  purpose,  by  adding 
the  stimulant  of  a  disinterested  desire  to  atone,  to  her 
other  impulses,  and  clothing  all  under  a  guise  so  winning 
and  natural,  as  greatly  to  lessen  the  unpleasant  feature  of 
a  forwardness  unbecoming  the  sex. 

"You  do  me  injustice  if  you  suppose  I  have  any  such 
thought  or  wish,"  she  answered,  earnestly.  "Never  was 
I  more  serious  in  my  life,  or  more  willing  to  abide  by 
any  agreement  that  we  may  make  to-night.  I  have  had 
many  suitors,  Deerslayer — nay,  scarce  an  unmarried  trap 
per  or  hunter  has  been  in  at  the  lake  these  four  years, 
who  has  not  offered  to  take  me  away  with  him,  and  I  fear 
some  that  were  married,  too " 

"Ay,  I'll  warrant  that!"  interrupted  the  other;  "I'll 
warrant  all  that!  Take  'em  as  a  body,  Judith,  'arth  don't 
hold  a  set  of  men  more  given  to  theirselves,  and  less  given 
to  God  and  the  law." 

"Not  one  of  them  would  I — could  I  listen  to;  happily 
for  myself,  perhaps,  has  it  been  that  such  was  the  case. 
There  have  been  well-looking  youths  among  them,  too,  as 
you  may  have  seen  in  your  acquaintance,  Henry  March. ' ' 


THE   DEERSLAYER  429 

"Yes,  Harry  is  sightly  to  the  eye,  though,  to  my  idees, 
less  so  to  the  judgment.  I  thought,  at  first,  you  meant 
to  have  him,  Judith,  I  did;  but,  afore  he  went,  it  was  easy 
enough  to  verify  that  the  same  lodge  wouldn't  be  big 
enough  for  you  both." 

"You  have  done  me  justice  in  that,  at  least,  Deerslayer. 
Hurry  is  a  man  I  could  never  marry,  though  he  were  ten 
times  more  comely  to  the  eye,  and  a  hundred  times  more 
stout  of  heart  than  he  really  is." 

"Why  not,  Judith — why  not?  I  own  I'm  cur'ous  to 
know  why  a  youth  like  Hurry  shouldn't  find  favor  with  a 
maiden  like  you." 

"Then  you  shall  know,  Deerslayer,"  returned  the  girl, 
gladly  availing  herself  of  the  opportunity  of  extolling  the 
qualities  which  had  so  strongly  interested  her  in  her  lis 
tener;  hoping  by  these  means  covertly  to  approach  the 
subject  nearest  her  heart.  "In  the  first  place,  looks  in  a 
man  are  of  no  importance  with  a  woman,  provided  he  is 
manly,  and  not  disfigured  or  deformed." 

"There  I  can't  altogether  agree  with  you,"  returned 
the  other,  thoughtfully,  for  he  had  a  very  humble  opinion 
of  his  own  personal  appearance;  "I  have  noticed  that  the 
comeliest  warriors  commonly  get  the  best-looking  maidens 
of  the  tribe  for  wives;  and  the  Sarpent,  yonder,  who  is 
sometimes  wonderful  in  his  paint,  is  a  gineral  favorite 
with  all  the  Delaware  young  women,  though  he  takes  to 
Hist,  himself,  as  if  she  was  the  only  beauty  on  'arth. " 

"It  may  be  so  with  Indians,  but  it  is  different  with 
white  girls.  So  long  as  a  young  man  has  a  straight  and 
manly  frame,  that  promises  to  make  him  able  to  protect 
a  woman,  and  to  keep  want  from  the  door,  it  is  all  they 
ask  of  the  figure.  Giants  like  Hurry  may  do  for  grena 
diers,  but  are  of  little  account  as  lovers.  Then  as  to  the 
face,  an  honest  look,  one  that  answers  for  the  heart 
within,  is  of  more  value  than  any  shape,  or  color,  or  eyes, 
or  teeth,  or  trifles  like  them.  The  last  may  do  for  girls, 
but  who  thinks  of  them  at  all,  in  a  hunter,  or  a  warrior, 
or  a  husband!  If  there  are  women  so  silly,  Judith's  not 
among  them." 

"Well,  this  is  wonderful!  I  always  thought  that  hand 
some  liked  handsome,  as  riches  love  riches!" 


430  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"It  may  be  so  with  you  men,  Deerslayer,  but  it  is  not 
always  so  with  us  women.  We  like  stout-hearted  men, 
but  we  wish  to  see  them  modest;  sure  on  a  hunt,  or  the 
war-path,  ready  to  die  for  the  right,  and  unwilling  to 
yield  to  the  wrong.  Above  all,  we  wish  for  honesty — 
tongues  that  are  not  used  to  say  what  the  mind  does  not 
mean,  and  hearts  that  feel  a  little  for  others  as  well  as 
for  themselves.  A  true-hearted  girl  could  die  for  such  a 
husband!  while  the  boaster,  and  the  double-tongued 
suitor,  gets  to  be  as  hateful  to  the  sight  as  he  is  to  the 
mind."' 

Judith  spoke  bitterly,  and  with  her  usual  force,  but  her 
listener  was  too  much  struck  with  the  novelty  of  the 
sensations  he  experienced  to  advert  to  her  manner.  There 
was  something  so  soothing  to  the  humility  of  a  man  of 
his  temperament,  to  hear  qualities  that  he  could  not  but 
know  he  possessed  himself,  thus  highly  extolled  by  the 
loveliest  female  he  had  ever  beheld,  that,  for  the  mo 
ment,  his  faculties  seemed  suspended  in  a  natural  and 
excusable  pride.  Then  it  was  that  the  idea  of  the  possi 
bility  of  such  a  creature  as  Judith  becoming  his  com 
panion  for  life,  first  crossed  his  mind.  The  image  was  so 
pleasant,  and  so  novel,  that  he  continued  completely  ab 
sorbed  by  it,  for  more  than  a  minute,  totally  regardless 
of  the  beautiful  reality  that  was  seated  before  him, 
watching  the  expression  of  his  upright  and  truth-telling 
countenance  with  a  keenness  that  gave  her  a  very  fair,  if 
not  an  absolutely  accurate,  clue  to  his  thoughts.  Never 
before  had  so  pleasing  a  vision  floated  before  the  mind's 
eye  of  the  young  hunter;  but,  accustomed  most  to  practi 
cal  things,  and  little  addicted  to  submitting  to  the  power 
of  his  imagination,  even  while  possessed  of  so  much  true 
poetical  feeling  in  connection  with  natural  objects  in 
particular,  he  soon  recovered  his  reason,  and  smiled  at 
his  own  weakness,  as  the  fancied  picture  faded  from  his 
mental  sight,  and  left  him  the  simple,  untaught,  but 
highly  moral  being  he  was,  seated  in  the  ark  of  Thomas 
Hutter,  at  midnight,  with  the  lovely  countenance  of  its 
late  owner's  reputed  daughter  beaming  on  him  with 
anxious  scrutiny,  by  the  light  of  the  solitary  lamp. 

"You're  wonderful  handsome,  and  enticing,  and  pleas- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  431 

ing  to  look  on,  Judith!"  he  exclaimed,  in  his  simplicity 
as  fact  resumed  its  ascendency  over  fancy.  "Wonderful! 
I  don't  remember  ever  to  have  seen  so  beautiful  a  gal, 
even  among  the  Delawares;  and  I'm  not  astonished  that 
Hurry  Harry  went  away  soured  as  well  as  disapp'inted!" 

"Would  you  have  had  me,  Deerslayer,  become  the  wife 
of  such  a  man  as  Henry  March?" 

"There's  that  which  is  in  his  favor,  and  there's  that 
which  is  ag'in  him.  To  my  taste,  Hurry  wouldn't  make 
the  best  of  husbands,  but  I  fear  that  the  tastes  of  most 
young  women,  hereaway,  wouldn't  be  so  hard  upon  him." 

"No — no — Judith  without  a  name,  would  never  consent 
to  be  called  Judith  March!  Anything  would  be  better 
than  that!" 

"Judith  Bumppo  wouldn't  sound  as  well,  gal;  and 
there's  many  names  that  would  fall  short  of  March,  in 
pleasing  the  ear." 

"Ah!  Deerslayer,  the  pleasantness  of  the  sound,  in 
such  cases,  does  not  come  through  the  ear,  but  through 
the  heart.  Everything  is  agreeable  when  the  heart  is 
satisfied.  Were  Natty  Bumppo  Henry  March,  and  Henry 
March  Natty  Bumppo,  I  might  think  the  name  of  March 
better  than  it  is;  or  were  he  you,  I  should  fancy  the  name 
of  Bumppo  horrible!" 

"That's  just  it — yes,  that's  the  reason  of  the  matter. 
Now,  I'm  nat'rally  avarse  to  sarpents,  and  I  hate  even  the 
word,  which,  the  missionaries  tell  me,  comes  from  human 
natur',  on  account  of  a  sartain  sarpent  at  the  creation  of 
the  'arth,  that  outwitted  the  first  woman;  yet,  ever  since 
Chingachgook  has  'arned  the  title  he  bears,  why  the  sound 
is  as  pleasant  to  my  ears  as  the  whistle  of  the  whip-poor- 
will  of  a  calm  evening — it  is.  The  feelin's  make  all  the 
difference  in  the  world,  Judith,  in  the  natur'  of  sounds; 
ay,  even  in  that  of  looks,  too. ' ' 

"This  is  so  true,  Deerslayer,  that  I'm  surprised  you 
should  think  it  remarkable  a  girl,  who  may  have  some 
comeliness  herself,  should  not  think  it  necessary  that  her 
husband  should  have  the  same  advantage,  or  what  you  fancy 
an  advantage.  To  me,  looks  in  a  man  is  nothing  provided 
his  countenance  be  as  honest  as  his  heart." 

"Yes,  honesty  is  a  great  advantage,  in  the  long  run; 


432  THE   DEERSLAYER 

and  they  that  are  the  most  apt  to  forget  it  in  the  begin 
ning,  are  the  most  apt  to  1'arn  it  in  the  ind.  Neverthe 
less,  there's  more,  Judith,  that  look  to  present  profit  than 
to  the  benefit  that  is  to  come  after  a  time.  One  they 
think  a  sartainty,  and  the  other  an  onsartainty.  I'm  glad, 
hows'ever,  that  you  look  at  the  thing  in  its  true  light,  and 
not  in  the  way  in  which  so  many  is  apt  to  deceive  them 
selves.  ' ' 

"I  do  thus  look  at  it,  Deerslayer, "  returned  the  girl 
with  emphasis,  still  shrinking  with  a  woman's  sensitive 
ness  from  a  direct  offer  of  her  hand,  "and  can  say,  from 
the  bottom  of  my  heart,  that  I  would  rather  trust  my 
happiness  to  a  man  whose  truth  and  feelings  may  be 
depended  on,  than  to  a  false-tongued  and  false-hearted 
wretch  that  had  chests  of  gold,  and  houses  and  lands — 
yes,  though  he  were  even  seated  on  a  throne ! ' ' 

"These  are  brave  words,  Judith;  they're  downright 
brave  words;  but  do  you  think  that  the  feelin's  would 
keep  'em  company,  did  the  ch'ice  actually  lie  afore  you? 
If  a  gay  gallant  in  a  scarlet  coat  stood  on  one  side,  with 
his  head  smelling  like  a  deer's  foot,  his  face  smooth  and 
blooming  as  your  own,  his  hands  as  white  and  soft  as  if 
God  hadn't  bestowed  'em  that  man  might  live  by  the 
sweat  of  his  brow,  and  his  step  as  lofty  as  dancing- 
teachers  and  a  light  heart  could  make  it;  and  on  the  other 
side  stood  one  that  has  passed  his  days  in  the  open  air  till 
his  forehead  is  as  red  as  his  cheek;  had  cut  his  way 
through  swamps  and  bushes  till  his  hand  was  as  rugged 
as  the  oaks  he  slept  under;  had  trodden  on  the  scent  of 
game  till  his  step  was  as  stealthy  as  the  catamount's,  and 
had  no  other  pleasant  odor  about  him  than  such  as  natur' 
gives  in  the  free  air  and  the  forest — now,  if  both  these 
men  stood  here  as  suitors  for  your  feelin's,  which  do  you 
think  would  win  your  favor?" 

Judith's  fine  face  flushed;  for  the  picture  that  her 
companion  had  so  simply  drawn  of  a  gay  officer  of  the 
garrisons  had  once  been  particularly  grateful  to  her 
imagination,  though  experience  and  disappointment  had 
not  only  chilled  all  her  affections,  but  given  them  a  back 
ward  current,  and  the  passing  image  had  a  momentary 
influence  on  her  feelings;  but  the  mounting  color  was 


THE   DEERSLAYER  433 

succeeded  by  a  paleness  so  deadly  as  to  make  her  appear 
ghastly. 

"As  God  is  my  judge,"  the  girl  solemnly  answered, 
"did  both  these  men  stand  before  me,  as  I  may  say  one  of 
them  does,  my  choice,  if  I  know  my  own  heart,  would  be 
the  latter.  I  have  no  wish  for  a  husband  who  is  any  way 
better  than  myself." 

"This  is  pleasant  to  listen  to,  and  might  lead  a  young 
man,  in  time,  to  forget  his  own  onworthiness,  Judith! 
Hows'ever,  you  hardly  think  all  that  you  say.  A  man  like 
me  is  too  rude  and  ignorant  for  one  that  has  had  such  a 
mother  to  teach  her;  vanity  is  nat'ral,  I  do  believe;  but 
vanity  like  that  would  surpass  reason!" 

"Then  you  do  not  know  of  what  a  woman's  heart  is 
capable!  Rude  you  are  not,  Deerslayer!  nor  can  one  be 
called  ignorant  that  has  studied  what  is  before  his  eyes 
as  closely  as  you  have  done.  When  the  affections  are  con 
cerned,  all  things  appear  in  their  pleasantest  colors,  and 
trifles  are  overlooked,  or  are  forgotten.  When  the  heart 
feels  a  sunshine,  nothing  is  gloomy,  even  dull-looking 
objects  seeming  gay  and  bright;  and  so  it  would  be  be 
tween  you  and  the  woman  who  should  love  you,  even 
though  your  wife  might  happen,  in  some  matters,  to 
possess  what  the  world  calls  the  advantage  over  you. ' ' 

"Judith,  you  come  of  people  altogether  above  mine,  in 
the  world;  and  onequal  matches,  like  onequal  fri'ndships 
can't  often  tarminate  kindly.  I  speak  of  this  matter  alto 
gether  as  a  fanciful  thing,  since  it's  not  very  likely  that 
you,  at  least,  would  be  able  to  treat  it  as  a  matter  that 
can  ever  come  to  pass. ' ' 

Judith  fastened  her  deep  blue  eyes  on  the  open,  frank 
countenance  of  her  companion,  as  if  she  would  read  his 
soul.  Nothing  there  betrayed  any  covert  meaning,  and 
she  was  obliged  to  admit  to  herself  that  he  regarded  the 
conversation  as  argumentative,  rather  than  positive,  and 
that  he  was  still  without  any  active  suspicion  that  her 
feelings  were  seriously  involved  in  the  issue.  At  first  she 
felt  offended,  then  she  saw  the  injustice  of  making  the  self- 
abasement  and  modesty  of  the  hunter  a  charge  against 
him;  and  this  novel  difficulty  gave  a  piquancy  to  the  state 
of  affairs  that  rather  increased  her  interest  in  the  young 
28 


434  THE   DEERSLAYER 

man.  At  that  critical  instant,  a  change  of  plan  flashed  on 
her  mind,  and  with  a  readiness  of  invention  that  is  pecu 
liar  to  the  quickwitted  and  ingenious,  she  adopted  a 
scheme  by  which  she  hoped  effectually  to  bind  him  to  her 
person.  This  scheme  partook  equally  of  her  fertility  of 
invention,  and  of  the  decision  and  boldness  of  her  char 
acter.  That  the  conversation  might  not  terminate  too 
abruptly,  however,  or  any  suspicion  of  her  design  exist, 
she  answered  the  last  remark  of  Deerslayer  as  earnestly 
and  as  truly  as  if  her  original  intention  remained  unal 
tered. 

"I,  certainly,  have  no  reason  to  boast  of  parentage, 
after  what  I  have  seen  this  night,"  said  the  girl,  in  a 
saddened  voice.  "I  had  a  mother,  it  is  true;  but  of  her 
name,  even,  I  am  ignorant;  and  as  for  my  father,  it  is 
better,  perhaps,  that  I  should  never  know  who  he  was, 
lest  I  speak  too  bitterly  of  him!" 

"Judith,"  said  Deerslayer,  taking  her  hand  kindly, 
and  with  a  manly  sincerity  that  went  directly  to  the 
girl's  heart,  "  'tis  better  to  say  no  more  to-night.  Sleep 
on  what  you've  seen  and  felt;  in  the  morning,  things 
that  now  look  gloomy  may  look  more  cheerful.  Above 
all,  never  do  anything  in  bitterness,  or  because  you  feel 
as  if  you'd  like  to  take  revenge  on  yourself  for  other 
people's  backslidings.  All  that  has  been  said  or  done 
atween  us,  this  night,  is  your  secret,  and  shall  never  be 
talked  of  by  me,  even  with  the  Sarpent;  and  you  may  be 
sartain  if  he  can't  get  it  out  of  me,  no  man  can.  If  your 
parents  have  been  faulty,  let  the  darter  be  less  so;  re 
member  that  you're  young,  and  the  youthful  may  always 
hope  for  better  times;  that  you're  more  quick-witted 
than  usual,  and  such  gin 'rally  get  the  better  of  difficul 
ties;  and  that  as  for  beauty,  you're  oncommon;  this  is  an 
advantage  with  all.  It  is  time  to  get  a  little  rest,  for 
to-morrow  is  like  to  prove  a  trying  day  to  some  of  us." 

Deerslayer  arose  as  he  spoke,  and  Judith  had  no  choice 
but  to  comply.  The  chest  was  closed  and  secured,  and 
they  parted  in  silence;  she  to  take  her  place  by  the  side 
of  Hist  and  Hetty,  and  he  to  seek  a  blanket  on  the  floor 
of  the  cabin  he  was  in.  It  was  not  five  minutes  ere  the 
young  man  was  in  a  deep  sleep;  but  the  girl  continued 


THE   DEERSLAYER  435 

awake  for  a  long  time.  She  scarce  knew  whether  to 
lament,  or  to  rejoice,  at  having  failed  in  making  herself 
understood.  On  the  one  hand,  were  her  womanly  sensi 
bilities  spared ;  on  the  other,  was  the  disappointment  of 
defeated,  or  at  least  of  delayed,  expectations,  and  the  un 
certainty  of  a  future  that  looked  so  dark.  Then  came  the 
new  resolution  and  the  bold  project  for  the  morrow;  and 
when  drowsiness  finally  shut  her  eyes,  they  closed  on  a 
scene  of  success  and  happiness,  that  was  pictured  by  the 
fancy,  under  the  influence  of  the  sanguine  temperament 
and  a  happy  invention. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

"  But,  mother,  now  a  shade  has  passed 
Athwart  my  brightest  visions  here, 
A  cloud  of  darkest  gloom  has  wrapped 

The  remnant  of  my  brief  career ; 
No  song,  no  echo  can  I  win  ; 
The  sparkling  fount  has  dried  within." 

—MARGARET  DAVIDSON. 

HIST  and  Hetty  arose  with  the  return  of  light,  leaving 
Judith  still  buried  in  sleep.  It  took  but  a  minute  for  the 
first  to  complete  her  toilet.  Her  long  coal-black  hair 
was  soon  adjusted  in  a  simple  knot,  the  calico  dress  belted 
tight  to  her  slender  waist,  and  her  little  feet  concealed  in 
their  gaudily  ornamented  moccasins.  When  attired,  she 
left  her  companion  employed  in  household  affairs,  and 
went  herself  on  the  platform,  to  breathe  the  pure  air  of 
the  morning.  Here  she  found  Chingachgook  studying  the 
shores  of  the  lake,  the  mountains,  and  the  heavens,  with 
the  sagacity  of  a  man  of  the  woods,  and  the  gravity  of  an 
Indian. 

The  meeting  between  the  two  lovers  was  simple  but 
affectionate.  The  chief  showed  a  manly  kindness,  equally 
removed  from  boyish  weakness  and  haste;  while  the  girl 
betrayed  in  her  smile  and  half-averted  looks,  the  bashful 
tenderness  of  her  sex.  Neither  spoke,  unless  it  were  with 
the  eyes,  though  each  understood  the  other  as  fully  as  if  a 
vocabulary  of  words  and  protestations  had  been  poured 
out.  Hist  seldom  appeared  to  more  advantage  than  at 
that  moment;  for,  just  from  her  rest  and  ablutions,  there 
was  a  freshness  about  her  youthful  form  and  face,  that 
the  toils  of  the  woods  do  not  always  permit  to  be  exhib 
ited  by  even  the  juvenile  and  pretty.  Then  Judith  had 
not  only  imparted  some  of  her  own  skill  in  the  toilet, 
during  their  short  intercourse,  but  she  had  actually 
bestowed  a  few  well-selected  ornaments  from  her  own 
stores,  that  contributed  not  a  little  to  set  off  the  natural 
graces  of  the  Indian  maid.  All  this  the  lover  saw  and 

436 


THE  DEERSLAYER  437 

felt,  and  for  a  moment  his  countenance  was  illuminated 
with  a  look  of  pleasure;  but  it  soon  grew  grave  again, 
and  became  saddened  and  anxious.  The  stools  used  the 
previous  night  were  still  standing  on  the  platform;  plac 
ing  two  against  the  walls  of  the  hut,  he  seated  himself  on 
one,  making  a  gesture  to  his  companion  to  take  the  other. 
This  done,  he  continued  thoughtful  and  silent  for  quite  a 
minute,  maintaining  the  reflecting  dignity  of  one  born  to 
take  his  seat  at  the  council-fire,  while  Hist  was  furtively 
watching  the  expression  of  his  face,  patient  and  submis 
sive,  as  became  a  woman  of  her  people.  Then  the  young 
warrior  stretched  his  arm  before  him,  as  if  to  point  out 
the  glories  of  the  scene  at  that  witching  hour,  when  the 
whole  panorama,  as  usual,  was  adorned  by  the  mellow 
distinctness  of  early  morning,  sweeping  with  his  hand 
slowly  over  lake,  hills,  and  heavens.  The  girl  followed 
the  movement  with  pleased  wonder,  smiling  as  each  new 
beauty  met  her  gaze. 

"Hugh!"  exclaimed  the  chief,  in  admiration  of  a  scene 
so  unusual  even  to  him,  for  this  was  the  first  lake  he  had 
ever  beheld.  "This  is  the  country  of  the  Manitou!  It 
is  too  good  for  Mingoes,  Hist;  but  the  curs  of  that  tribe 
are  howling  in  packs  through  the  woods.  They  think 
that  the  Delawares  are  asleep,  over  the  mountains." 

"All  but  one  of  them  is,  Chingachgook.  There  is  one 
here;  and  he  is  of  the  blood  of  Uncas!" 

"What  is  one  warrior  against  a  tribe?  The  path  to  our 
village  is  very  long  and  crooked,  and  we  shall  travel  it 
under  a  cloudy  sky.  I  am  afraid,  too,  Honeysuckle  of  the 
Hills,  that  we  shall  travel  it  alone!" 

Hist  understood  the  allusion,  and  it  made  her  sad; 
though  it  sounded  sweet  to  her  ears  to  be  compared,  by 
the  warrior  she  so  loved,  to  the  most  fragrant  and  the 
pleasantest  of  all  the  wild  flowers  of  her  native  woods. 
Still  she  continued  silent,  as  became  her  when  the  allusion 
was  to  a  grave  interest  that  men  could  best  control, 
though  it  exceeded  the  power  of  education  to  conceal  the 
smile  that  gratified  feeling  brought  to  her  pretty  mouth. 

"When  the  sun  is  thus,"  continued  the  Delaware, 
pointing  to  the  zenith,  by  simply  casting  upward  a  hand 
and  finger,  by  a  play  of  the  wrist,  "the  great  hunter  of 


438  THE   DEERSLAYER 

our  tribe  will  go  back  to  the  Hurons  to  be  treated  like  a 
bear,  that  they  roast  and  skin  even  on  full  stomachs. ' ' 

"The  Great  Spirit  may  soften  their  hearts,  and  not 
suffer  them  to  be  so  bloody-minded.  I  have  lived  among 
the  Hurons,  and  know  them.  They  have  hearts,  and  will 
not  forget  their  own  children,  should  they  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Delawares. ' ' 

"A  wolf  is  forever  howling;  a  hog  will  always  eat. 
They  have  lost  warriors;  even  their  women  will  call  out 
for  vengeance.  The  pale  face  has  the  eyes  of  an  eagle, 
and  can  see  into  a  Mingo's  heart;  he  looks  for  no  mercy. 
There  is  a  cloud  over  his  spirit,  though  it  is  not  before 
his  face." 

A  long,  thoughtful  pause  succeeded,  during  which  Hist 
stealthily  took  the  hand  of  the  chief,  as  if  seeking  his 
support,  though  she  scarce  ventured  to  raise  her  eyes  to  a 
countenance  that  was  now  literally  becoming  terrible, 
under  the  conflicting  passions  and  stern  resolution  that 
were  struggling  in  the  breast  of  its  owner. 

"What  will  the  son  of  Uncas  do?"  the  girl  at  length 
timidly  asked.  "He  is  a  chief,  and  is  already  celebrated 
in  council,  though  so  young;  what  does  his  heart  tell 
him  is  wisest?  Does  the  head,  too,  speak  the  same  words 
as  the  heart?" 

"What  does  Wah-ta-Wah  say,  at  a  moment  when  my 
dearest  friend  is  in  danger?  The  smallest  birds  sing  the 
sweetest;  it  is  always  pleasant  to  hearken  to  their  songs. 
I  wish  I  could  hear  the  Wren  of  the  Woods  in  my  diffi 
culty;  its  note  would  reach  deeper  than  the  ear." 

Again  Hist  experienced  the  profound  gratification  that 
the  language  of  praise  can  always  awaken,  when  uttered 
by  those  we  love.  The  "Honeysuckle  of  the  Hills"  was  a 
term  often  applied  to  the  girl,  by  the  young  men  of  the 
Delawares,  though  it  never  sounded  so  sweet  in  her  ears 
as  from  the  lips  of  Chingachgook;  but  the  latter  alone 
had  ever  styled  her  the  Wren  of  the  Woods.  With  him, 
however,  it  had  got  to  be  a  familiar  phrase,  and  it  was 
past  expression  pleasant  to  the  listener,  since  it  conveyed 
to  her  mind  the  idea  that  her  advice  and  sentiments  were 
as  acceptable  to  her  future  husband,  as  the  tones  of  her 
voice  and  modes  of  conveying  them  were  agreeable;  unit- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  439 

ing  the  two  things  most  prized  by  an  Indian  girl,  as 
coming  from  her  betrothed,  admiration  for  a  valued  phys 
ical  advantage,  with  respect  for  her  opinion.  She  pressed 
the  hand  she  held  between  both  her  own,  and  answered : 

"Wah-ta-Wah  says  that  neither  she  nor  the  Great 
Serpent  could  ever  laugh  again,  or  ever  sleep  without 
dreaming  of  the  Hurons,  should  the  Deerslayer  die  under 
a  Mingo  tomahawk,  and  they  do  nothing  to  save  him.  She 
would  rather  go  back,  and  start  on  her  long  path  alone, 
than  let  such  a  dark  cloud  pass  before  her  happiness." 

"Good!  The  husband  and  the  wife  will  have  but  one 
heart;  they  will  see  with  the  same  eyes,  and  feel  with  the 
same  feelings." 

What  further  was  said  need  not  be  related  here.  That 
the  conversation  was  of  Deerslayer,  and  his  hopes,  has 
been  seen  already,  but  the  decision  that  was  come  to,  will 
better  appear  in  the  course  of  the  narrative.  The  youth 
ful  pair  were  yet  conversing  when  the  sun  appeared  above 
the  tops  of  the  pines,  and  the  light  of  a  brilliant  Ameri 
can  day  streamed  down  into  the  valley,  bathing  "in  deep 
joy"  the  lake,  the  forests,  and  the  mountain  sides.  Just 
at  this  instant  Deerslayer  came  out  of  the  cabin  of  the 
ark,  and  stepped  upon  the  platform.  His  first  look  was 
at  the  cloudless  heavens,  then  his  rapid  glance  took  in  the 
entire  panorama  of  land  and  water,  when  he  had  leisure 
for  a  friendly  nod  at  his  friends,  and  a  cheerful  smile  for 
Hist. 

"Well,"  he  said,  in  his  usual  composed  manner,  and 
pleasant  voice;  "he  that  sees  the  sun  set  in  the  west,  and 
wakes  'arly  enough  in  the  morning,  will  be  sartain  to 
find  him  coming  back  ag'in  in  the  east,  like  a  buck  that 
is  hunted  round  his  ha'nts.  I  dare  say,  now,  Hist,  you've 
beheld  this,  time  and  ag'in,  and  yet  it  never  entered  into 
your  galish  mind  to  ask  the  reason?" 

Both  Chingachgook  and  his  betrothed  looked  up  at  the 
luminary,  with  an  air  that  betokened  sudden  wonder,  and 
then  they  gazed  at  each  other,  as  if  to  seek  the  solution 
of  the  difficulty.  Familiarity  deadens  the  sensibilities, 
even  as  connected  with  the  gravest  natural  phenomena; 
and  never  before  had  these  simple  beings  thought  of 
inquiring  into  a  movement  that  was  of  daily  occurrence, 


440  THE   DEERSLAYER 

however  puzzling  it  might  appear  on  investigation.  When 
the  subject  was  thus  suddenly  started,  it  struck  both  alike 
and  at  the  same  instant,  with  some  such  force,  as  any 
new  and  brilliant  proposition  in  the  natural  sciences 
would  strike  the  scholar.  Chingachgook  alone  saw  fit  to 
answer. 

"The  pale  faces  know  everything,"  he  said;  "can  they 
tell  us  why  the  sun  hides  his  face,  when  he  goes  back,  at 
night?" 

"Ay,  that  is  downright  red-skin  1'arnin,"  returned 
the  other,  laughing,  though  he  was  not  altogether  insen 
sible  to  the  pleasure  of  proving  the  superiority  of  his  race, 
by  solving  the  difficulty,  which  he  set  about  doing  in  his 
own  peculiar  manner.  "Harkee,  Sarpent,"  he  continued 
more  gravely,  though  too  simply  for  affectation;  "this  is 
easierly  explained  than  an  Indian  brain  may  fancy.  The 
sun,  while  he  seems  to  keep  travelling  in  the  heavens, 
never  budges,  but  it  is  the  'arth  that  turns  round:  and 
any  one  can  understand,  if  he  is  placed  on  the  side  of  a 
mill-wheel,  for  instance,  when  it's  in  motion,  that  he 
must  sometimes  see  the  heavens,  while  he  is  at  other 
times  under  water.  There's  no  great  secret  in  that,  but 
plain  natur';  the  difficulty  being  in  setting  the  'arth  in 
motion." 

"How  does  my  brother  know  that  the  earth  turns 
round?"  demanded  the  Indian.  "Can  he  see  it?" 

"Well  that's  been  a  puzzler,  I  will  own,  Delaware;  for 
I've  often  tried,  but  never  could  fairly  make  it  out. 
Sometimes  I've  consaited  that  I  could;  and  then  ag'in,  I've 
been  obliged  to  own  it  an  onpossibility.  Hows'ever,  turn 
it  does,  as  all  my  people  say,  and  you  ought  to  believe 
'em,  since  they  can  foretell  eclipses,  and  other  prodigies, 
that  used  to  fill  the  tribes  with  terror,  according  to  your 
own  traditions  of  such  things." 

"Good!  This  is  true;  no  red  man  will  deny  it.  When 
a  wheel  turns,  my  eyes  can  see  it;  they  do  not  see  the 
earth  turn. ' ' 

"Ay,  that's  what  I  call  sense- obstinacy!  Seeing  is 
believing,  they  say;  and  what  they  can't  see,  some  men 
won't  in  the  least  give  credit  to.  Nevertheless,  chief, 
that  isn't  quite  as  good  reason  as  it  may  at  first  seem! 


THE   DEERSLAYER  441 

You  believe  in  the  Great  Spirit,  I  know;  and  yet,  I  con 
clude,  it  would  puzzle  you  to  show  where  you  see  him." 

"Chingachgook  can  see  him  everywhere — everywhere 
in  good  things — the  Evil  Spirit  in  bad.  Here,  in  the 
lake;  there,  in  the  forest;  yonder,  in  the  clouds;  in  Hist, 
in  the  son  of  Uncas,  in  Tamenund,  in  Deerslayer.  The 
Evil  Spirit  is  in  the  Mingoes.  That  I  know;  I  do  not  see 
the  earth  turn  round." 

"I  don't  wonder  they  call  you  the  Sarpent,  Delaware; 
no,  I  don't.  There's  always  a  meaning  in  your  words, 
and  there's  often  a  meaning  in  your  countenance,  too! 
Notwithstanding,  your  answer  doesn't  quite  meet  my 
idee.  That  God  is  obsarvable  in  all  nat'ral  objects  is 
allowable;  but  then  he  is  not  parceptible  in  the  way  I 
mean.  You  know  there  is  a  Great  Spirit,  by  his  works, 
and  the  pale  faces  know  that  the  'arth  turns  round  by  its 
works.  This  is  the  reason  of  the  matter,  though  how  it 
is  to  be  explained,  is  more  than  I  can  exactly  tell  you. 
This  I  know;  all  my  people  consait  that  fact;  and  what 
all  the  pale  faces  consait,  is  very  likely  to  be  true." 

"When  the  sun  is  in  the  top  of  that  pine  to-morrow, 
where  will  my  brother  Deerslayer  be?" 

The  hunter  started,  and  he  looked  intently,  though 
totally  without  alarm,  at  his  friend.  Then  he  signed  for 
him  to  follow,  and  led  the  way  into  the  ark,  where  he 
might  pursue  the  subject  unheard  by  those  whose  feelings 
he  feared  might  get  the  mastery  over  their  reason.  Here 
he  stopped,  and  pursued  the  conversation  in  a  more  con 
fidential  tone. 

"  'Twas  a  little  onreasonable  in  you,  Sarpent,"  he 
said,  "to  bring  up  such  a  subject  afore  Hist,  and  when 
the  young  woman  of  my  own  color  might  overhear  what 
was  said.  Yes,  'twas  a  little  more  onreasonable  than 
most  things  that  you  do.  No  matter;  Hist  didn't  com 
prehend,  and  the  other  didn't  hear.  Hows'ever,  the  ques 
tion  is  easier  put  than  answered.  No  mortal  can  say 
where  he  will  be  when  the  sun  rises  to-morrow.  I  will 
ask  you  the  same  question,  Sarpent,  and  should  like  to 
hear  what  answer  you  can  give." 

"Chingachgook  will  be  with  his  friend,  Deerslayer;  if 
he  be  in  the  land  of  spirits,  the  Great  Serpent  will  crawl 


442  THE   DEERSLAYER 

at  his  side,  if  beneath  yonder  sun,  its  warmth  and  light 
shall  fall  on  both." 

"I  understand  you,  Delaware,"  returned  the  other, 
touched  with  the  simple  self-devotion  of  his  friend. 
"Such  language  is  as  plain  in  one  tongue  as  in  another; 
it  comes  from  the  heart,  and  goes  to  the  heart,  too.  'Tis 
well  to  think  so,  and  it  may  be  well  to  say  so,  for  that 
matter,  but  it  would  not  be  well  to  do  so,  Sarpent.  You 
are  no  longer  alone  in  life;  for,  though  you  have  the 
lodges  to  change,  and  other  ceremonies  to  go  through, 
afore  Hist  becomes  your  lawful  wife,  yet  are  you  as  good 
as  married,  in  all  that  bears  on  the  feelin's,  and  joy,  and 
misery.  No,  no;  Hist  must  not  be  desarted,  because  a 
cloud  is  passing  atweenyou  and  me,  a  little  onexpectedly, 
and  a  little  darker  than  we  may  have  looked  for." 

"Hist  is  a  daughter  of  the  Mohicans;  she  knows  how  to 
obey  her  husband.  Where  he  goes  she  will  follow.  Both 
will  be  with  the  great  Hunter  of  the  Delawares,  when  the 
sun  shall  be  in  the  pine  to-morrow." 

"The  Lord  bless  and  protect  you!  Chief,  this  is  down 
right  madness.  Can  either  or  both  of  you  alter  a  Mingo 
natur'?  Will  your  grand  looks,  or  Hist's  tears  and 
beauty,  change  a  wolf  into  a  squirrel,  or  make  a  cata 
mount  as  innocent  as  a  fa'an!  No,  Sarpent,  you  will 
think  better  of  this  matter,  and  leave  me  in  the  hands  of 
God.  A'ter  all,  it's  by  no  means  sartain  that  the  scamps 
design  the  torments,  for  they  may  yet  be  pitiful,  and 
bethink  them  of  the  wickedness  of  such  a  course;  though 
it  is  but  a  hopeless  expectation  to  look  forward  to  a 
Mingo's  turning  aside  from  evil,  and  letting  marcy  get 
uppermost  in  his  heart.  Nevertheless,  no  one  knows  to  a 
sartainty  what  will  happen;  and  young  creatur's,  like 
Hist,  aren't  to  be  risked  on  unsartainties.  This  marry 
ing  is  altogether  a  different  undertaking  from  what  some 
young  men  fancy.  Now,  if  you  was  single,  or  as  good  as 
single,  Delaware,  I  should  expect  you  to  be  active  and 
stirring  about  the  camp  of  the  vagabonds,  from  sunrise 
to  sunset,  sarcumventing,  and  contriving,  as  restless  as  a 
hound  off  the  scent,  and  doing  all  manner  of  things  to 
help  me,  and  to  distract  the  inimy;  but  two  are  often 
feebler  than  one,  and  we  must  take  things  as  they  are, 
and  not  as  we  want  'em  to  be." 


THE   DEERSLAYER  443 

"Listen,  Deerslayer, "  returned  the  Indian,  with  an 
emphasis  so  decided  as  to  show  how  much  he  was  in 
earnest.  "If  Chingachgook  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
Hurons,  what  would  my  pale-face  brother  do?  Sneak  off 
to  the  Delaware  villages,  and  say  to  the  chiefs,  and  old 
men,  and  young  warriors, — 'See!  here  is  Wah-ta-Wah; 
she  is  safe,  but  a  little  tired;  and  here  is  the  Son  of  Uncas 
not  as  tired  as  the  Honeysuckle,  being  stronger,  but  just 
as  safe.'  Would  he  do  this?" 

"Well,  that's  oncommon  ingen'ous;  it's  cunning  enough 
for  a  Mingo  himself.  The  Lord  only  knows  what  put  it 
into  your  head  to  ask  such  a  question.  What  would  I  do? 
Why,  in  the  first  place,  Hist  wouldn't  be  likely  to  be  in 
my  company  at  all,  for  she  would  stay  as  near  you  as 
possible,  and  therefore  all  that  part  about  her  couldn't  be 
said  without  talking  nonsense.  As  for  her  being  tired, 
that  would  fall  through,  too,  if  she  didn't  go,  and  no  part 
of  your  speech  would  be  likely  to  come  from  me:  so,  you 
see,  Sarpent,  reason  is  ag'in  you,  and  you  may  as  well 
give  it  up,  since  to  hold  out  ag'in  reason,  is  no  way 
becoming  a  chief  of  your  character  and  repitation. "  j 

"My  brother  is  not  himself;  he  forgets  that  he  is  talk 
ing  to  one  who  has  sat  at  the  council-fires  of  his  nation,"; 
returned  the    other,    kindly.      "When  men    speak,    they> 
should  say  that  which  does  not  go  in  at  one  side  of  the 
head,   and  out  at  the  other.     Their  words  shouldn't  be 
feathers,  so  light  that  a  wind,  which  does  not  ruffle  the1 
water,  can  blow  them  away.     He  has  not  answered  my 
question;  when  a  chief  puts  a  question,  his  friend  should 
not  talk  of  other  things." 

"I  understand  you,  Delaware;  I  understand  well  enough; 
what  you  mean,  and  truth  won't  allow  me  to  say  other-' 
wise.  Still,  it's  not  as  easy  to  answer  as  you  seem  toi 
think,  for  this  plain  reason.  You  wish  me  to  say  what  I ; 
would  do  if  I  had  a  betrothed,  as  you  have,  here,  on  the 
lake,  and  a  fri'nd  yonder,  in  the  Huron  camp,  in  danger 
of  the  torments.  That's  it,  isn't  it?"  I 

The  Indian  bowed  his  head  silently,  and  always  with 
unmoved  gravity,  though  his  eye  twinkled  at  the  sight  of 
the  other's  embarrassment. 

"Well,  I  never  had  a  betrothed;  never  had  the  kind  of 


444  THE   DEERSLAYER 

feelin's  towards  any  young  woman  that  you  have  towards 
Hist;  though  the  Lord  knows  my  feelin's  kind  enough 
towards  'em  all!  Still,  my  heart,  as  they  call  it,  in  such 
matters  isn't  touched,  and,  therefore,  I  can't  say  what  I 
would  do.  A  fri'nd  pulls  strong;  that  I  know  by  exper'- 
ence,  Sarpent;  but  by  all  that  I've  seen  and  heard  con- 
sarning  love  I'm  led  to  think  that  a  betrothed  pulls 
stronger. ' ' 

"True;  but  the  betrothed  of  Chingachgook  does  not 
pull  towards  the  lodges  of  the  Delawares;  she  pulls  to 
wards  the  camp  of  the  Hurons. ' ' 

"She's  a  noble  gal,  for  all  her  little  feet  and  hands  that 
ain't  bigger  than  a  child's,  and  a  voice  that's  as  pleasant 
as  a  mocker's;  she's  a  noble  gal  and  like  the  stock  of  her 
sires!  Well,  what  is  it,  Sarpent?  for  I  conclude  she 
hasn't  changed  her  mind  and  means  to  give  herself  up, 
and  turn  Huron  wife.  What  is  it  you  want?" 

"Wah-ta-Wah  will  never  live  in  the  wigwam  of  an 
Iroquois, "  answered  the  Delaware,  dryly.  "She  has  little 
feet,  but  they  can  carry  her  to  the  villages  of  her  people; 
she  has  small  hands,  too,  but  her  mind  is  large.  My 
brother  will  see  what  we  can  do,  when  the  time  shall 
come,  rather  than  let  him  die  under  Mingo  torments." 

'  'Attempt  nothing  heedlessly,  Delaware, ' '  said  the  other 
earnestly;  "I  suppose  you  must  and  will  have  your  way; 
and,  on  the  whole,  it's  right  you  should;  for  you'd  neither 
be  happy  unless  something  was  undertaken.  But  attempt 
nothing  heedlessly.  I  didn't  expect  you'd  quit  the  lake 
while  my  matter  remained  inunsartainty;  but  remember, 
Serpent,  that  no  torments  that  Mingo  ingenuity  can 
invent,  no  ta'ntings  and  revilings,  no  burning  and  roast- 
ings  and  nail-tearings,  nor  any  other  onhuman  contriv 
ance,  can  so  soon  break  down  my  spirit,  as  to  find  that 
you  and  Hist  have  fallen  into  the  power  of  the  inimy,  in 
striving  to  do  something  for  my  good." 

"The  Delawares  are  prudent.  The  Deerslayer  will  not 
find  them  running  into  a  strange  camp  with  their  eyes 
shut." 

Here  the  dialogue  terminated.  Hetty  announced  that 
the  breakfast  was  ready,  and  the  whole  party  were  soon 
seated  around  the  simple  board,  in  the  usual  primitive 


THE   DEERSLAYER  445 

manner  of  borderers.  Judith  was  the  last  to  take  her 
seat,  pale,  silent,  and  betraying  in  her  countenance  that 
she  had  passed  a  painful  if  not  a  sleepless  night.  At  this 
meal  scarce  a  syllable  was  exchanged,  all  the  females 
manifesting  want  of  appetite,  though  the  two  men  were 
unchanged  in  this  particular.  It  was  early  when  the 
party  arose,  and  there  still  remained  several  hours  before 
it  would  be  necessary  for  the  prisoner  to  leave  his  friends. 
The  knowledge  of  this  circumstance,  and  the  interest  all 
felt  in  his  welfare,  induced  the  whole  to  assemble  on  the 
platform  again,  in  the  desire  to  be  near  the  expected 
victim,  to  listen  to  his  discourse,  and,  if  possible,  to  show 
their  interest  in  him  by  anticipating  his  wishes.  Deer- 
slayer  himself,  so  far  as  human  eyes  could  penetrate,  was 
wholly  unmoved,  conversing  cheerfully  and  naturally, 
though  he  avoided  any  direct  allusion  to  the  expected  and 
great  event  of  the  day.  If  any  evidence  could  be  discov 
ered  of  his  thoughts  reverting  to  that  painful  subject  at 
all,  it  was  in  the  manner  in  which  ha  spoke  of  death  and 
the  last  great  change. 

"Grieve  not,  Hetty,"  he  said;  for  it  was  while  consol 
ing  this  simple-minded  girl  for  the  loss  of  her  parents 
that  he  thus  betrayed  his  feelings;  "since  God  has 
app'inted  that  all  must  die.  Your  parents,  or  them 
you  fancied  your  parents,  which  is  the  same  thing, 
have  gone  afore  you;  this  is  only  in  the  order  of  natur', 
my  good  gal,  for  the  aged  go  first,  and  the  young  fol 
low.  But  one  that  had  a  mother  like  your'n,  Hetty, 
can  be  at  no  loss  to  hope  the  best,  as  to  how  mat 
ters  will  turn  out  in  another  world.  The  Delaware 
here,  and  Hist,  believe  in  happy  hunting-grounds,  and 
have  idees  befitting  their  notions  and  gifts  as  red-skins; 
but  we,  who  are  of  white  blood,  hold  altogether  to  a 
different  doctrine.  Still,  I  rather  conclude  our  heaven  is 
their  land  of  spirits,  and  that  the  path  which  leads  to  it 
will  be  travelled  by  all  colors  alike.  'Tis  onpossible  for 
the  wicked  to  enter  on  it,  I  will  allow;  but  fri'nds  can 
scarce  be  separated,  though  they  are  not  of  the  same  race 
on  'arth.  Keep  up  your  spirits,  poor  Hetty,  and  look  for 
ward  to  the  day  when  you  will  meet  your  mother  ag'in, 
and  that  without  pain  or  sorrowing." 


446  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"I  do  expect  to  see  mother,"  returned  the  truth-telling 
and  simple  girl,  "but  what  will  become  of  father?" 

"That's  a  non-plusser,  Delaware,"  said  the  hunter  in 
the  Indian  dialect;  "yes,  that  is  a  downright  non-plusser ! 
The  Muskrat  was  not  a  saint  on  'arth,  and  it's  fair  to 
guess  he'll  not  be  much  of  one  hereafter!  Hows 'ever, 
Hetty," — dropping  into  the  English  by  an  easy  transition 
— "hows'ever  Hetty  we  must  all  hope  for  the  best.  That 
is  wisest  and  it  is  much  the  easiest  to  the  mind,  if  one 
can  only  do  it.  I  ricommend  to  you  trusting  to  God  and 
putting  down  all  misgivings  and  faint-hearted  feelin's. 
It's  wonderful,  Judith,  how  different  people  have  different 
notions  about  the  futur',  some  fancying  one  change  and 
some  fancying  another.  I've  known  white  teachers  that 
have  thought  all  was  spirit  hereafter;  and  them,  ag'in, 
that  believed  the  body  will  be  transported  to  another 
world  much  as  the  red-skins  themselves  imagine,  and 
that  we  shall  walk  about  in  the  flesh  and  know  each  other 
and  talk  together,  and  be  fri'nds  there  as  we've  been 
fri'nds  here." 

"Which  of  these  opinions  is  most  pleasing  to  you,  Deer- 
slayer?"  asked  the  girl,  willing  to  indulge  his  melancholy 
mood  and  far  from  being  free  from  its  influence  herself. 
"Would  it  be  disagreeable  to  think  that  you  should  meet 
all  who  are  now  on  this  platform  in  another  world?  Or 
have  you  known  enough  of  us  here  to  be  glad  to  see  us  no 
more?" 

"The  last  would  make  death  a  bitter  portion;  yes,  it 
would.  It's  eight  good  years  since  the  Sarpent  and  I 
began  to  hunt  together,  and  the  thought  that  we  were 
never  to  meet  ag'in  would  be  a  hard  thought  to  me.  He 
looks  forward  to  the  time  when  he  shall  chase  a  sort  of 
spirit-deer,  in  company  on  plains  where  there's  no  thorns, 
or  brambles,  or  marshes,  or  other  hardships  to  overcome; 
whereas,  I  can't  fall  into  all  these  notions,  seeing  that  they 
appear  to  be  ag'in  reason.  Spirits  can't  eat,  nor  have 
they  any  use  for  clothes;  and  deer  can  only  rightfully  be 
chased  to  be  slain,  or  slain  unless  it  be  for  the  venison 
or  the  hides.  Now  I  find  it  hard  to  suppose  that  blessed 
spirits  can  be  put  to  chasing  game  without  an  object, 
tormenting  the  dumb  animals  just  for  the  pleasure  and 


THE   DEEKSLAYER  447 

agreeableness  of  their  own  amusement.  I  never  yet  pulled 
a  trigger  on  a  buck  or  doe,  Judith,  unless  when  food  or 
clothes  was  wanting." 

"The  recollection  of  which,  Deerslayer,  must  now  be  a 
great  consolation  to  you." 

"It  is  the  thought  of  such  things,  my  fri'nds,  that 
enables  a  man  to  keep  his  furlough.  It  might  be  done 
without  it,  I  own,  for  the  worst  red-skins  sometimes  do 
their  duty  in  this  matter;  but  it  makes  that  which  might 
otherwise  be  hard,  easy,  if  not  altogether  to  our  liking. 
Nothing  truly  makes  a  bolder  heart  than  a  light  con 
science." 

Judith  turned  paler  than  ever,  but  she  struggled  for 
self-command  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  it.  The  conflict 
had  been  severe,  however,  and  it  left  her  so  little  dis 
posed  to  speak  that  Hetty  pursued  the  subject.  This 
was  done  in  the  simple  manner  natural  to  the  girl. 

"It would  be  cruel  to  kill  the  poor  deer,"  she  said, "in 
this  world  or  any  other,  when  you  don't  want  their  veni 
son  or  their  skins.  No  good  white  man  and  no  good  red 
man  would  do  it.  But  it's  wicked  for  a  Christian  to  talk 
about  chasing  anything  in  heaven.  Such  things  are  not 
done  before  the  face  of  God,  and  the  missionary  that 
teaches  these  doctrines  can't  be  a  true  missionary.  He 
must  be  a  wolf  in  sheep's  clothing.  I  suppose  you  know 
what  a  sheep  is,  Deerslayer?" 

"That  I  do,  gal;  and  a  useful  creature  it  is  to  such  as 
like  cloths  better  than  skins  for  winter  garments.  I  un 
derstand  the  natur'  of  sheep,  though  I've  had  but  little  to 
do  with  'em;  and  the  natur'  of  wolves,  too,  and  I  can 
take  the  idee  of  a  wolf  in  the  fleece  of  a  sheep,  though  I 
think  it  would  be  likely  to  prove  a  hot  jacket  for  such  a 
beast  in  the  warm  months. ' ' 

"And  sin  and  hypocrisy  are  hot  jackets,  as  they  will 
find  who  put  them  on,"  returned  Hetty,  positively;  "so 
the  wolf  would  be  no  worse  off  than  the  sinner.  Spirits 
don't  hunt,  nor  trap,  nor  fish,  nor  do  anything  that  vain 
men  undertake,  since  they've  none  of  the  longings  of  this 
world  to  feed.  Oh!  mother  told  me  all  that  years  ago,  and 
I  didn't  wish  to  hear  it  denied." 

"Well,  my  good  Hetty,  in  that  case  you'd  better  not 


448  THE   DEERSLAYER 

broach  your  doctrine  to  Hist  when  she  and  you  are  alone, 
and  the  young  Delaware  maiden  is  inclined  to  talk  relig 
ion.  It's  her  fixed  idee,  I  know,  that  the  good  warriors 
do  nothing  but  hunt  and  fish  in  the  other  world;  though  I 
don't  believe  that  she  fancies  any  of  them  are  brought 
down  to  trapping,  which  is  no  empl'yment  for  a  brave. 
But  of  hunting  and  fishing,  accordin'  to  her  notion, 
they've  their  fill,  and  that,  too,  over  the  most  agreeablest 
hunting-grounds,  and  among  game  that  is  never  out  of 
season,  and  which  is  just  actyve  and  instinctive  enough  to 
give  a  pleasure  to  death.  So  I  wouldn't  recommend  it  to 
you  to  start  Hist  on  that  idee. ' ' 

"Hist  can't  be  so  wicked  as  to  believe  any  such  thing," 
returned  the  other  earnestly.  "No  Indian  hunts  after  he 
is  dead." 

"No  wicked  Indian,  I  grant  you;  no  wicked  Indian  sar- 
tainly.  He  is  obliged  to  carry  the  ammunition,  and  to 
look  on  without  sharing  in  the  sport,  and  to  cook,  and  to 
light  the  fires,  and  to  do  everything  that  isn't  manful. 
Now  mind,  I  don't  tell  you  these  are  my  idees,  but  they 
are  Hist's  idees,  and  therefore,  for  the  sake  of  peace,  the 
less  you  say  to  her  ag'in  'em,  the  better." 

"And  what  are  your  ideas  of  the  fate  of  an  Indian  in 
the  other  world?"  demanded  Judith,  who  had  just  found 
her  voice. 

"Ah!  gal,  anything  but  that!  I  am  too  christianized  to 
expect  anything  so  fanciful  as  hunting  and  fishing  after 
death;  nor  do  I  believe  there  is  one  Manitou  for  the  red 
skin,  and  another  for  a  pale  face.  You  find  different 
colors  on  'arth,  as  any  one  may  see,  but  you  don't  find 
different  natur's.  Different  gifts,  but  only  one  natur'." 

"In  what  is  a  gift  different  from  a  nature?  Is  not 
nature  itself  a  gift  from  God?" 

"Sartain;  that's  quick-thoughted  and  creditable,  Ju 
dith,  though  the  main  idee  is  wrong.  A  natur'  is  the 
creatur'  itself;  its  wishes,  wants,  idees,  and  feelin's,  as 
all  are  born  in  him.  This  natur'  never  can  be  changed  in 
the  main,  though  it  may  undergo  some  increase  or  lessen 
ing.  Now,  gifts  come  of  sarcumstances.  Thus,  if  you 
put  a  man  in  a  town,  he  gets  town  gifts;  in  a  settlement, 
settlement  gifts;  in  a  forest,  gifts  of  the  woods.  A 


THE   DEERSLAYER  449 

soldier  has  soldierly  gifts,  and  a  missionary  preaching 
gifts.  All  these  increase  and  strengthen  until  they  get  to 
fortify  natur'  as  it  might  be,  and  excuse  a  thousand  acts 
and  idees.  Still  the  creatur'  is  the  same  at  the  bottom; 
just  as  a  man  who  is  clad  in  regimentals  is  the  same  as 
the  man  that  is  clad  in  skins.  The  garments  make  a 
change  to  the  eye,  and  some  change  in  the  conduct  per 
haps;  but  none  in  the  man.  Herein  lies  the  apology  for 
gifts;  seein'  that  you  expect  different  conduct  from  one 
in  silks  and  satins  from  one  in  homespun;  though  the 
Lord,  who  didn't  make  Jthe  dresses,  but  who  made  the 
creatur's  themselves,  looks  only  at  his  own  work.  This 
isn't  ra'al  missionary  doctrine,  but  it's  as  near  it  as  a 
man  of  white  color  need  be.  Ah's  me!  little  did  I  think 
to  be  talking  of  such  matters  to-day,  but  it's  one  of  our 
weaknesses  never  to  know  what  will  come  to  pass.  Step 
into  the  ark  with  me,  Judith,  for  a  minute.  I  wish  to 
convarse  with  you." 

Judith  complied  with  a  willingness  she  could  scarce 
conceal.  Following  the  hunter  into  the  cabin,  she  took  a 
seat  on  a  stool,  while  the  young  man  brought  Killdeer, 
the  rifle  she  had  given  him,  out  of  a  corner,  and  placed 
himself  on  another,  with  the  weapon  laid  upon  his  knees. 
After  turning  the  piece  round  and  round,  and  examining 
its  lock  and  its  breech  with  a  sort  of  affectionate  assid 
uity,  he  laid  it  down,  and  proceeded  to  the  subject  which 
had  induced  him  to  desire  the  interview. 

"I  understand  you,  Judith,  to  say  that  you  gave  me 
this  rifle,"  he  said.  "I  agreed  to  take  it  because  a 
young  woman  can  have  no  particular  use  for  firearms. 
The  we'pon  has  a  great  name,  and  it  desarves  it,  and 
ought  of  right  to  be  carried  by  some  known  and  sure 
hand,  for  the  best  reputation  may  be  lost  by  careless  and 
thoughtless  handling." 

"Can  it  be  in  better  hands  than  those  in  which  it  is 
now,  Deerslayer?  Thomas  Hutter  seldom  missed  with  it; 
with  you  it  must  turn  out  to  be " 

"Sartain  death!"  interrupted  the  hunter,  laughing.  "I 

once  know'd  a  beaver  man  that  had  a  piece  he  called  by 

that  very  name,  but  'twas  all  boastfulness,  for  I've  seen 

Delawares  that  were  as  true  with  arrows  at  a  short  range. 

20 


450  THE   DEERSLAYER 

Hows'ever,  I'll  not  deny  my  gifts — for  this  is  a  gift, 
Judith,  and  not  natur' — but  I'll  not  deny  my  gifts,  and 
therefore  allow  that  the  rifle  couldn't  well  be  in  better 
hands  than  it  is  at  present.  But  how  long  will  it  be 
likely  to  remain  there?  Atween  us,  the  truth  may  be 
said,  though  I  shouldn't  like  to  have  it  known  to  the  Sar- 
pent  and  Hist;  but  to  you  the  truth  may  be  spoken,  since 
your  feelin's  will  not  be  as  likely  to  be  tormented  by  it 
as  those  of  them  that  have  known  me  longer  and  better. 
How  long  am  I  like  to  own  this  rifle  or  any  other?  That 
is  a  serious  question  for  our  thoughts  to  rest  on,  and 
should  that  happen  which  is  so  likely  to  happen,  Killdeer 
would  be  without  an  owner. ' ' 

Judith  listened  with  apparent  composure,  though  the 
conflict  within  came  near  overpowering  her.  Appreciat 
ing  the  singular  character  of  her  companion,  however,  she 
succeeded  in  appearing  calm;  though,  had  not  his  atten 
tion  been  drawn  exclusively  to  the  rifle,  a  man  of  his 
keenness  of  observation  could  scarce  have  failed  to  detect 
the  agony  of  mind  with  which  the  girl  had  hearkened  to 
his  words.  Her  great  self-command,  notwithstanding, 
enabled  her  to  pursue  the  subject  in  a  way  still  to  deceive 
him. 

"What  would  you  have  me  do  with  the  weapon,"  she 
asked,  "should  that  which  you  seem  to  expect,  take 
place?" 

"That's  just  what  I  wanted  to  speak  to  you  about, 
Judith  —  that's  just  it.  There's  Chingachgook,  now, 
though  far  from  being  parfect  sartainty,  with  a  rifle — 
for  few  red-skins  ever  get  to  be  that — though  far  from 
being  parfect  sartainty,  he  is  respectable,  and  is  coming 
on.  Nevertheless,  he  is  my  fri'nd;  and  all  the  better 
fri'nd,  perhaps,  because  there  never  can  be  any  hard 
feelin's  atween  us,  touchin'  our  gifts;  his'n  bein'  red, 
and  mine  bein'  altogether  white.  Now,  I  should  like  to 
leave  Killdeer  to  the  Sarpent,  should  anything  happen  to 
keep  me  from  doing  credit  and  honor  to  your  precious 
gift,  Judith." 

"Leave  it  to  whom  you  please,  Deerslayer;  the  rifle  is 
your  own,  to  do  with  as  you  please;  Chingachgook  shall 


THE   DEERSLAYLR  451 

have  it,  should  you  never  return  to  claim  it,  if  that  be 
your  wish." 

"Has  Hetty  been  consulted  in  this  matter?  Property 
goes  from  the  parent  to  the  children,  and  not  to  one  child 
in  partic'lar. " 

"If  you  place  your  right  on  that  of  the  law,  Deerslayer, 
I  fear  none  of  us  can  claim  to  be  the  owner.  Thomas 
Hutter  was  no  more  the  father  of  Esther,  than  he  was  the 
father  of  Judith.  Judith  and  Esther,  we  are  truly,  hav 
ing  no  other  name." 

"There  may  be  a  law  in  that,  but  there's  no  great 
reason,  gal.  Accord  in'  to  the  custom  of  families,  the 
goods  are  your'n,  and  there's  no  one  here  to  gainsay  it. 
If  Hetty  would  only  say  that  she  is  willing,  my  mind 
would  be  quite  at  ease  in  the  matter.  It's  true,  Judith, 
that  your  sister  has  neither  your  beauty  nor  your  wit;  but 
we  should  be  the  tenderest  of  the  rights  and  welfare  of 
the  most  weak-minded." 

The  girl  made  no  answer;  but  placing  herself  at  a 
window,  she  summoned  her  sister  to  her  side.  When  the 
question  was  put  to  Hetty,  her  simple-minded  and  affec 
tionate  nature  cheerfully  assented  to  the  proposal  to 
confer  on  Deerslayer  a  full  right  of  ownership  to  the 
much-coveted  rifle.  The  latter  now  seemed  perfectly 
happy,  for  the  time  being,  at  least;  and  after  again 
examining  and  re-examining  his  prize,  he  expressed  a 
determination  to  put  its  merits  to  a  practical  test  before 
he  left  the  spot.  No  boy  could  have  been  more  eager  to 
exhibit  the  qualities  of  his  trumpet  or  his  cross-bow,  than 
this  simple  forester  was  to  prove  those  of  his  rifle.  Re 
turning  to  the  platform,  he  first  took  the  Delaware  aside 
and  informed  him  that  this  celebrated  piece  was  to  be 
come  his  property,  in  the  event  of  anything  serious 
befalling  himself. 

"This  is  a  new  reason  why  you  should  be  wary,  Sar- 
pent,  and  not  run  into  any  oncalculated  danger,"  the 
hunter  added,  "for  it  will  be  victory  of  itself,  to  a  tribe, 
to  own  such  a  piece  as  this!  The  Mingoes  will  turn  green 
with  envy;  and,  what  is  more,  they  will  not  ventur'  heed 
lessly  near  a  village  where  it  is  known  to  be  kept.  So 


452  THE   DEERSLAYER 

look  well  to  it,  Delaware,  and  remember  that  you've  now 
to  watch  over  a  thing  that  has  all  the  valie  of  a  creatur', 
without  its  failin's.  Hist  may  be,  and  should  be  precious 
to  you,  but  Killdeer  will  have  the  love  and  veneration  of 
your  whole  people. ' ' 

"One  rifle  like  another,  Deerslayer, "  returned  the 
Indian,  in  English,  the  language  used  by  the  other,  a 
little  hurt  at  his  friend's  lowering  his  betrothed  to  the 
level  of  a  gun.  "All  kill;  all  wood  and  iron.  Wife  dear 
to  heart;  rifle  good  to  shoot." 

"And  what  is  a  man  in  the  woods,  without  something 
to  shoot  with? — a  miserable  trapper,  or  a  forlorn  broom 
and  basket-maker,  at  the  best.  Such  a  man  may  hoe 
corn,  and  keep  soul  and  body  together,  but  he  can  never 
know  the  savory  morsels  of  venison,  or  tell  a  bear's  ham 
from  a  hog's.  Come,  my  fri'nd,  such  another  occasion 
may  never  offer  ag'in,  and  I  feel  a  strong  craving  for 
a  trial  with  this  celebrated  piece.  You  shall  bring  out 
your  own  rifle,  and  I  will  just  sight  Killdeer  in  a  care 
less  way,  in  order  that  we  may  know  a  few  of  its  secret 
vartues. ' ' 

As  this  proposition  served  to  relieve  the  thoughts  of 
the  whole  party,  by  giving  them  a  new  direction,  while 
it  was  likely  to  produce  no  unpleasant  result,  every  one 
was  willing  to  enter  into  it;  the  girls  bringing  forth  the 
firearms  with  an  alacrity  bordering  on  cheerfulness. 
Hutter's  armory  was  well  supplied,  possessing  several 
rifles,  all  of  which  were  habitually  kept  loaded,  in  readi 
ness  to  meet  any  sudden  demand  for  their  use.  On  the 
present  occasion,  it  only  remained  to  freshen  the  pri 
mings,  and  each  piece  was  in  a  state  for  service.  This 
was  soon  done,  as  all  assisted  in  it,  the  females  being 
as  expert  in  this  part  of  the  system  of  defense,  as  their 
male  companions. 

"Now,  Sarpent,  we'll  begin  in  a  humble  way,  using  Old 
Tom's  commoners  first,  and  coming  to  your  we'pon  and 
Killdeer  as  the  winding-up  observations,"  said  Deer- 
slayer,  delighted  to  be  again,  weapon  in  hand,  ready  to 
display  his  skill.  "Here's  birds  in  abundance,  some  in, 
and  some  over  the  lake,  and  they  keep  at  just  a  good 
range,  hovering  round  the  hut.  Speak  your  mind,  Dela- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  453 

ware,  and  p'int  out  the  creatur'  you  wish  to  alarm. 
Here's  a  diver,  nearest  in,  off  to  the  eastward,  and  that's 
a  creatur'  that  buries  itself  at  the  flash,  and  will  be  like 
enough  to  try  both  piece  and  powder." 

Chingachgook  was  a  man  of  few  words.  No  sooner  was 
the  bird  pointed  out  to  him  than  he  took  his  aim  and  fired. 
The  duck  dived  at  the  flash,  as  had  been  expected,  and 
the  bullet  skipped  harmlessly  along  the  surface  of  the 
lake,  first  striking  the  water  within  a  few  inches  of  the 
spot  were  the  bird  had  so  lately  swam.  Deerslayer 
laughed  cordially  and  naturally;  but  at  the  same  time  he 
threw  himself  into  an  attitude  of  preparation,  and  stood 
keenly  watching  the  sheet  of  placid  water.  Presently  a 
dark  spot  appeared,  and  then  the  duck  arose  to  breathe, 
and  shook  its  wings.  While  in  this  act,  a  bullet  passed 
directly  through  its  breast,  actually  turning  it  over  life 
less,  on  its  back.  At  the  next  moment,  Deerslayer  stood 
with  the  breech  of  his  rifle  on  the  platform,  as  tranquil 
as  if  nothing  had  happened,  though  laughing  in  his  own 
peculiar  manner. 

"There's  no  great  trial  of  the  pieces  in  that!"  he  said, 
as  if  anxious  to  prevent  a  false  impression  of  his  own 
merit.  "No,  that  proof's  neither  for  nor  ag'in  the  rifles, 
seeing  it  was  all  quickness  of  hand  and  eye.  I  took  the 
bird  at  a  disadvantage,  or  he  might  have  got  under  again, 
afore  the  bullet  reached  him.  But  the  Sarpent  is  too  wise 
to  mind  such  tricks,  having  long  been  used  to  them.  Do 
you  remember  the  time,  chief,  when  you  thought  yourself 
sartain  of  the  wild  goose,  and  I  took  him  out  of  your 
very  eyes,  as  it  might  be,  with  a  little  smoke?  Hows'ever, 
such  things  pass  for  nothing  atween  fri'nds,  and  young 
folk  will  have  their  fun,  Judith.  Ay,  here's  just  the 
bird  we  want,  for  it's  as  good  for  the  fire  as  it  is  for  the 
aim,  and  nothing  should  be  lost  that  can  be  turned  to  just 
account.  There,  further  north,  Delaware." 

The  latter  looked  in  the  required  direction,  and  he  soon 
saw  a  large  black  duck,  floating  in  stately  repose  on  the 
water.  At  that  distant  day,  when  so  few  men  were  pres 
ent  to  derange  the  harmony  of  the  wilderness,  all  the 
smaller  lakes  with  which  the  interior  of  New  York  so 
abounds,  were  places  of  resort  for  the  migratory  aquatic 


454  THE   DEERSLAYER 

birds;  and  this  sheet,  like  the  others,  had  once  been  much 
frequented  by  all  the  varieties  of  the  duck,  by  the  goose, 
the  gull,  and  the  loon.  On  the  appearance  of  Hutter,  the 
spot  was  comparatively  deserted  for  other  sheets,  more 
retired  and  remote,  though  some  of  each  species  continued 
to  resort  thither,  as  indeed  they  do  to  the  present  hour. 
At  that  instant,  a  hundred  birds  were  visible  from  the 
castle,  sleeping  on  the  water,  or  laving  their  feathers  in 
the  limpid  element,  though  no  other  offered  so  favorable 
a  mark  as  that  Deerslayer  had  just  pointed  out  to  his 
friend.  Chingachgook,  as  usual,  spared  his  words,  and 
proceeded  to  execution.  This  time  his  aim  was  more 
careful  than  before  and  his  success  in  proportion.  The 
bird  had  a  wing  crippled,  and  fluttered  along  the  water 
screaming,  materially  increasing  its  distance  from  its 
enemies. 

"That  bird  must  be  put  out  of  pain,"  exclaimed  Deer- 
slayer  the  moment  the  animal  endeavored  to  rise  on  the 
wing;  "and  this  is  the  rifle  and  the  eye  to  do  it." 

The  duck  was  still  floundering  along,  when  the  fatal 
bullet  overtook  it,  severing  the  head  from  the  neck,  as 
neatly  as  if  it  had  been  done  with  an  ax.  Hist  had 
indulged  in  a  low  cry  of  delight,  at  the  success  of  the 
young  Indian;  but  now  she  affected  to  frown  and  resent 
the  greater  skill  of  his  friend.  The  chief,  on  the  con 
trary,  uttered  the  usual  exclamation  of  pleasure,  and  his 
smile  proved  how  much  he  admired,  and  how  little  he 
envied. 

"Never  mind  the  gal,  Sarpent;  never  mind  Hist's 
feelin's,  which  will  neither  choke  nor  drown,  slay  nor 
beautify,"  said  Deerslayer,  laughing.  "  'Tis  nat'ral  for 
women  to  enter  into  their  husband's  victories  and  defeats, 
and  you  are  as  good  as  man  and  wife,  so  far  as  prejudice 
and  fri'ndship  go.  Here  is  a  bird  overhead  that  will  put 
the  pieces  to  the  proof;  I  challenge  you  to  an  upward 
aim,  with  a  flying  target.  That's  a  ra'al  proof,  and  one 
that  needs  sartain  rifles,  as  well  as  sartain  eyes." 

The  species  of  eagle  that  frequents  the  water,  and  lives 
on  fish,  was  also  present,  and  one  was  hovering  at  a  con 
siderable  height  above  the  hut,  greedily  watching  for  an 
opportunity  to  make  a  swoop;  its  hungry  young  elevating 


THE   DEERSLAYER  455 

their  heads  from  a  nest  that  was  in  sight,  in  the  naked 
summit  of  a  dead  pine.  Chingachgook  silently  turned  a 
new  piece  against  this  bird,  and  after  carefully  watching 
his  time,  fired.  A  wider  circuit  than  common,  denoted 
that  the  messenger  had  passed  through  the  air  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  bird,  though  it  missed  its  object.  Deer- 
slayer,  whose  aim  was  not  more  true  than  it  was  quick, 
fired  as  soon  as  it  was  certain  his  friend  had  missed  and 
the  deep  swoop  that  followed  left  it  momentarily  doubt 
ful  whether  the  eagle  was  hit  or  not.  The  marksman 
himself,  however,  proclaimed  his  own  want  of  success 
calling  on  his  friend  to  seize  another  rifle,  for  he  saw 
signs  on  the  part  of  the  bird  of  an  intention  to  quit  the 
spot. 

"I  made  him  wink,  Sarpent;  I  do  think  his  feathers 
were  ruffled,  but  no  blood  has  yet  been  drawn,  nor  is  that 
old  piece  fit  for  so  nice  and  quick  a  sight.  Quick,  Dela 
ware;  you've  now  a  better  rifle,  and  Judith,  bring  out 
Killdeer,  for  this  is  the  occasion  to  try  his  merits,  if  he 
has  'em!" 

A  general  movement  followed,  each  of  the  competitors 
got  ready  and  the  girls  stood  in  eager  expectation  of  the 
result.  The  eagle  had  made  a  wide  circuit  after  his  low 
swoop,  and  fanning  his  way  upward,  once  more  hovered 
nearly  over  the  hut,  at  a  distance  even  greater  than  be 
fore.  Chingachgook  gazed  at  him,  and  then  expressed  his 
opinion  of  the  impossibility  of  striking  a  bird  at  that 
great  height,  and  while  he  was  so  nearly  perpendicular  as 
to  the  range.  But  a  low  murmur  from  Hist  produced  a 
sudden  impulse  and  he  fired.  The  result  showed  how  well 
he  had  calculated,  the  eagle  not  even  varying  his  flight, 
sailing  round  and  round  in  his  airy  circle  and  looking 
down  as  if  in  contempt  at  his  foes. 

'  'Now,  Judith,  "cried  Deerslayer,  laughing  with  glisten 
ing  and  delighted  eyes,  "we'll  see  if  Killdeer  isn't  Kill- 
eagle  too!  Give  me  room,  Sarpent,  and  watch  the  reason 
of  the  aim,  for  by  reason  anything  may  be  1'arned." 

A  careful  sight  followed,  and  was  repeated  again  and 
again,  the  bird  continuing  to  rise  higher  and  higher. 
Then  followed  the  flash  and  the  report.  The  swift  mes 
senger  sped  upwards,  and,  at  the  next  instant,  the  bird 


456  THE   DEERSLAYER 

turned  on  its  side  and  came  swooping  down,  now  strug 
gling  with  one  wing  and  then  with  the  other,  sometimes 
whirling  in  a  circuit,  next  fanning  desperately  as  if  con 
scious  of  its  injury,  until,  having  described  several  com 
plete  circles  around  the  spot,  it  fell  heavily  into  the  end 
of  the  ark.  On  examining  the  body,  it  was  found  that 
the  bullet  had  pierced  it  about  half-way  between  one  of 
its  wings  and  the  breast-bone. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

"  Upon  two  stony  tables,  spread  before  her, 
She  leaned  her  bosom,  more  than  stony  hard; 
There  slept  the  impartial  judge,  and  strict  restorer 
Of  wrong  or  right,  with  pain  or  with  reward; 
There  hung  the  score  of  all  our  debts,  the  card 
Where  good,  and  bad,  and  life,  and  death,  were  painted; 
Was  never  heart  of  mortal  so  untainted, 
But  when  the  roll  was  read,  with  thousand  terrors  fainted." 

—GILES  FLETCHER. 

"WE'VE  done  an  onthoughtful  thing,  Sarpent — yes,  Ju 
dith,  we've  done  an  onthoughtful  thing  in  taking  life  with 
an  object  no  better  than  vanity!"  exclaimed  Deerslayer, 
when  the  Delaware  held  up  the  enormous  bird,  by  its 
wings,  and  exhibited  the  dying  eyes  riveted  on  its  ene 
mies  with  the  gaze  that  the  helpless  ever  fasten  on  their 
destroyers.  '  'Twas  more  becomin'  two  boys  to  gratify 
their  feelin's  in  this  onthoughtful  manner,  than  two  war 
riors  on  a  war-path,  even  though  it  be  their  first.  Ah's 
me!  well,  as  a  punishment  I'll  quit  you  at  once,  and  when 
I  find  myself  alone  with  them  bloody-minded  Mingoes, 
it's  more  than  like  I'll  have  occasion  to  remember  that 
life  is  sweet,  even  to  the  beasts  of  the  woods  and  the 
fowls  of  the  air.  Here,  Judith;  there's  Killdeer;  take 
him  back  ag'in,  and  keep  him  for  some  hand  that's  more 
desarving  to  own  such  a  piece." 

'  'I  know  of  none  as  deserving  as  your  own,  Deerslayer, ' ' 
answered  the  girl  in  haste;  "none  but  yours  shall  keep 
the  rifle." 

"If  it  depended  on  skill,  you  might  be  right  enough, 
gal,  but  we  should  know  when  to  use  firearms  as  well  as 
how  to  use  'em.  I  haven't  1'arnt  the  first  duty  yet,  it 
seems;  so  keep  the  piece  till  I  have.  The  sight  of  a  dyin' 
and  distressed  creatur',  even  though  it  be  only  a  bird, 
brings  wholesome  thoughts  to  a  man  who  don't  know  how 
soon  his  own  time  may  come,  and  who  is  pretty  sartain 
that  it  will  come  afore  the  sun  sets;  I'd  give  back  all  my 
vain  feelin's  and  rej'icin's  in  hand  and  eye,  if  that  poor 

457 


458  THE   DEERSLAYER 

eagle  was  only  on  its  nest  ag'in  with  its  young,  praisin* 
the  Lord,  for  anything  that  we  can  know  about  the  mat 
ter,  for  health  and  strength!" 

The  listeners  were  confounded  with  this  proof  of  sudden 
repentance  in  the  hunter  and  that,  too,  for  an  indulgence 
so  very  common  that  men  seldom  stop  to  weigh  its  con 
sequences  or  the  physical  suffering  it  may  bring  on  the 
unoffending  and  helpless.  The  Delaware  understood  what 
was  said,  though  he  scarce  understood  the  feelings  which 
had  prompted  the  words,  and  by  way  of  disposing  of  the 
difficulty,  he  drew  his  keen  knife  and  severed  the  head  of 
the  sufferer  from  its  body. 

"What  a  thing  is  power!"  continued  the  hunter,  "and 
what  a  thing  it  is  to  have  it,  and  not  to  know  how  to  use 
it!  It's  no  wonder,  Judith,  that  the  great  so  often  fail 
of  their  duties,  when  even  the  little  and  the  humble  find 
it  so  hard  to  do  what's  right,  and  not  to  do  what's  wrong. 
Then,  how  one  evil  act  brings  others  a'ter  it!  Now, 
wasn't  it  for  this  furlough  of  mine  which  must  soon  take 
me  back  to  the  Mingoes,  I'd  find  this  creatur's  nest,  if  I 
travelled  the  woods  a  fortnight — though  an  eagle's  nest 
is  soon  found  by  them  that  understands  the  bird's  natur' 
—but  I'd  travel  a  fortnight  rather  than  not  find  it,  just 
to  put  the  young,  too,  out  of  their  pain." 

"I'm  glad  to  hear  you  say  this,  Deerslayer,"  observed 
Hetty,  "and  God  will  be  more  apt  to  remember  your 
sorrow  for  what  you've  done,  than  the  wickedness  itself. 
I  thought  how  wicked  it  was  to  kill  harmless  birds  while 
you  were  shooting,  and  meant  to  tell  you  so;  but  I  don't 
know  how  it  happened, — I  was  so  curious  to  see  if  you 
could  hit  an  eagle  at  so  great  a  height,  that  I  forgot 
altogether  to  speak  till  the  mischief  was  done." 

"That's  it;  that's  just  it,  my  good  Hetty.  We  can  see 
our  faults  and  mistakes  when  it's  too  late  to  help  them! 
Hows'ever,  I'm  glad  you  didn't  speak,  for  I  don't  think  a 
word  or  two  would  have  stopped  me  just  at  that  moment; 
and  so  the  sin  stands  in  its  nakedness,  and  not  aggravated 
by  any  unheeded  calls  to  forbear.  Well,  well,  bitter 
thoughts  are  hard  to  be  borne  at  all  times,  but  there's 
times  when  they're  harder  than  at  others." 

Little  did  Deerslayer  know,  while  thus  indulging  in 


THE   DEERSLAYER  459 

feelings  that  were  natural  to  the  man,  and  so  strictly  in 
accordance  with  his  own  unsophisticated  and  just  prin 
ciples,  that,  in  the  course  of  the  inscrutable  Providence 
which  so  uniformly  and  yet  so  mysteriously  covers  all 
events  with  its  mantle,  the  very  fault  he  was  disposed  so 
severely  to  censure,  was  to  be  made  the  means  of  deter 
mining  his  own  earthly  fate.  The  mode  and  the  moment 
in  which  he  was  to  feel  the  influence  of  this  interference, 
it  would  be  premature  to  relate,  but  both  will  appear  in 
the  course  of  the  succeeding  chapters.  As  for  the  young 
man,  he  now  slowly  left  the  ark,  like  one  sorrowing  for 
his  misdeeds,  and  seated  himself  in  silence  upon  the  plat 
form.  By  this  time  the  sun  had  ascended  to  some  height, 
and  its  appearance,  taken  in  connection  with  his  present 
feelings,  induced  him  to  prepare  to  depart.  The  Delaware 
got  the  canoe  ready  for  his  friend  as  soon  as  apprised  of 
his  intention,  while  Hist  busied  herself  in  making  the 
few  arrangements  that  were  thought  necessary  to  his 
comfort.  All  this  was  done  without  ostentation,  but  in  a 
way  that  left  Deerslayer  fully  acquainted  with,  and 
equally  disposed  to  appreciate  the  motive.  When  all  was 
ready,  both  returned  to  the  side  of  Judith  and  Hetty — 
neither  of  whom  had  moved  from  the  spot  where  the 
young  hunter  sat. 

"The  best  fri'nds  must  often  part,"  the  last  began 
when  he  saw  the  whole  party  grouped  around  him.  "Yes, 
fri'ndship  can't  alter  the  ways  of  Providence;  and  let  our 
feelin's  be  as  they  may,  we  must  part.  I've  often  thought 
there's  moments  when  our  words  dwell  longer  on  the 
mind  than  common,  and  when  advice  is  remembered,  just 
because  the  mouth  that  gives  it  isn't  likely  to  give  it 
ag'in.  No  one  knows  what  will  happen  in  the  world;  and 
therefore  it  may  be  well,  when  fri'nds  separate  under  a 
likelihood  that  the  parting  may  be  long,  to  say  a  few 
words  in  kindness,  as  a  sort  of  keepsakes.  If  all  but  one 
will  go  into  the  ark,  I'll  talk  to  each  in  turn,  and  what 
is  more,  I'll  listen  to  what  you  may  have  to  say  back 
ag'in;  for  it's  a  poor  counselor  that  won't  take  as  well  as 
give." 

As  the  meaning  of  the  speaker  was  understood,  the  two 
Indians  immediately  withdrew  as  desired,  leaving  the 


460  THE   DEERSLAYER 

sisters,  however,  still  standing  at  the  young  man's  side. 
A  look  of  Deerslayer's  induced  Judith  to  explain. 

"You  can  advise  Hetty  as  you  land,"  she  said,  hastily; 
"I  intend  that  she  shall  accompany  you  to  the  shore." 

"Is  thiswise,  Judith?  It's  true  that,  under  common 
sarcumstances,  a  feeble  mind  is  a  great  protection  among 
red-skins;  but  when  their  feelin's  are  up,  and  they're 
bent  on  revenge,  it's  hard  to  say  what  may  come  to  pass. 
Besides " 

"What  were  you  about  to  say,  Deerslayer?"  asked 
Judith,  whose  gentleness  of  voice  and  manner  amounted 
nearly  to  tenderness,  though  she  struggled  hard  to  keep 
her  emotions  and  apprehensions  in  subjection. 

"Why,  simply  that  there  are  sights  and  doin's  that  one 
even;  as  little  gifted  with  reason  and  memory  as  Hetty, 
here,  might  not  witness.  So,  Judith,  you  would  do  well 
to  let  me  land  alone,  and  to  keep  your  sister  back." 

"Never  fear  for  me,  Deerslayer,"  put  in  Hetty,  who 
comprehended  enough  of  the  discourse  to  know  its  general 
drift;  "I'm  feeble-minded,  and  that,  they  say,  is  an 
excuse  for  going  anywhere;  and  what  that  won't  excuse 
will  be  overlooked  on  account  of  the  Bible  I  always  carry. 
It  is  wonderful,  Judith,  how  all  sorts  of  men,  the  trappers 
as  well  as  the  hunters,  red  men  as  well  as  white,  Mingoes 
as  well  as  Delawares,  do  reverence  and  fear  the  Bible!" 

"I  think  you  have  not  the  least  ground  to  fear  any 
injury,  Hetty,"  answered  the  sister,  "and  therefore  I 
shall  insist  on  your  going  to  the  Huron  camp  with  our 
friend.  Your  being  there  can  do  no  harm,  not  even  to 
yourself,  and  may  do  great  good  to  Deerslayer. ' ' 

"This  is  not  a  moment,  Judith,  to  dispute;  and  so  have 
t-he  matter  your  own  way,"  returned  the  young  man. 
"Get  yourself  ready,  Hetty,  and  go  into  the  canoe,  for 
I've  a  few  parting  words  to  say  to  your  sister,  which  can 
do  you  no  good." 

Judith  and  her  companion  continued  silent,  until  Hetty 
had  so  far  complied  as  to  leave  them  alone,  when  Deer- 
slayer  took  up  the  subject  as  if  it  had  been  interrupted 
by  some  ordinary  occurrence,  and  in  a  very  matter-of-fact 
way. 

"Words  spoken  at  parting,  and  which  may  be  the  last 


THE   DEERSLAYER  461 

we  ever  hear  from  a  fr'ind,  are  not  soon  forgotten,"  he 
repeated,  "and  so,  Judith,  I  intend  to  speak  to  you  like  a 
brother,  seein'  I'm  not  old  enough  to  be  your  father.  In 
the  first  place,  I  wish  to  caution  you  ag'in  your  inimies, 
of  which  two  may  be  said  to  ha'nt  your  very  footsteps, 
and  to  beset  your  ways.  The  first  is  oncommon  good 
looks,  which  is  as  dangerous  a  foe  to  some  young  women 
as  a  whole  tribe  of  Mingoes  could  prove,  and  which  calls 
for  great  watchfulness;  not  to  admire  and  praise;  but  to 
distrust  and  sarcumvent.  Yes,  good  looks  may  be  sar- 
cum vented,  and  fairly  outwitted  too.  In  order  to  do  this 
you've  only  to  remember  that  they  melt  like  the  snows; 
and,  when  once  gone,  they  never  come  back  ag'in.  The 
seasons  come  and  go,  Judith;  and  if  we  have  winter,  with 
storms  and  frosts  and  spring,  with  chills  and  leafless  trees, 
we  have  summer,  with  its  sun  and  glorious  skies,  and  fall, 
with  its  fruits,  and  a  garment  thrown  over  the  forest  that 
no  beauty  of  the  town  could  rummage  out  of  all  the  shops 
in  America.  'Arth  is  an  eternal  round,  the  goodness  of 
God  bringing  back  the  pleasant  when  we've  had  enough  of 
the  onpleasant.  But  it's  not  so  with  good  looks.  They 
are  lent  for  a  short  time  in  youth,  to  be  used  and  not 
abused;  and  as  I  never  met  with  a  young  woman  to  whom 
Providence  has  been  as  bountiful  as  it  has  to  you,  Judith, 
in  this  partic'lar,  I  warn  you  as  it  might  be  with  my 
dyin'  breath,  to  beware  of  the  inimy;  fri'nd  or  inimy  as 
we  deal  with  the  gift." 

It  was  so  grateful  to  Judith  to  hear  these  unequivocal 
admissions  of  her  personal  charms,  that  much  would  have 
been  forgiven  to  the  man  who  made  them,  let  him  be  who 
he  might.  But,  at  that  moment,  and  from  a  far  better 
feeling,  it  would  not  have  been  easy  for  Deerslayer  seri 
ously  to  offend  her;  and  she  listened  with  a  patience 
which,  had  it  been  foretold  only  a  week  earlier,  it  would 
have  excited  her  indignation  to  hear. 

"I  understand  your  meaning,  Deerslayer,"  returned 
the  girl,  with  a  meekness  and  humility  that  a  little  sur 
prised  her  listener,  "and  hope  to  be  able  to  profit  by  it. 
But  you  have  mentioned  only  one  of  the  enemies  I  have  to 
fear;  who,  or  what,  is  the  other?" 

"The  other  is  givin'  way  afore  your  own  good  sense 


462  THE   DEERSLAYER 

and  judgment,  I  find,  Judith;  yes,  he's  not  as  dangerous 
as  I  supposed.  Hows' ever,  havin'  opened  the  subject,  it 
will  be  as  well  to  end  it  honestly.  The  first  inimy  you 
have  to  be  watchful  of,  as  I've  already  told  you,  Judith 
is  oncommon  good  looks,  and  the  next  is  an  oncommon 
knowledge  of  the  sarcumstance.  If  the  first  is  bad  the 
last  doesn't,  in  any  way,  mend  the  matter  so  far  as  safety 
and  peace  of  mind  are  consarned." 

How  much  longer  the  young  man  would  have  gone  on  in 
his  simple  and  unsuspecting  but  well-intentioned  manner 
it  might  not  be  easy  to  say,  had  he  not  been  interrupted 
by  his  listener  bursting  into  tears  and  giving  way  to  an 
outbreak  of  feeling,  which  was  so  much  the  more  violent 
from  the  fact  that  it  had  been  with  so  much  difficulty 
suppressed.  At  first  her  sobs  were  so  violent  and  uncon 
trollable  that  Deerslayer  was  a  little  appalled,  and  he  was 
abundantly  repentant  from  the  instant  that  he  discovered 
how  much  greater  was  the  effect  produced  by  his  words 
than  he  had  anticipated.  Even  the  austere  and  exacting 
are  usually  appeased  by  the  signs  of  contrition,  but  the 
nature  of  Deerslayer  did  not  require  proofs  of  intense 
feeling  so  strong,  in  order  to  bring  him  down  to  a  level 
with  the  regrets  felt  by  the  girl  herself.  He  arose  as  if 
an  adder  had  stung  him,  and  the  accents  of  the  mother 
that  soothes  her  child  were  scarcely  more  gentle  and  win 
ning  than  the  tones  of  his  voice,  as  he  now  expressed  his 
contrition  at  having  gone  so  far. 

"It  was  well  meant,  Judith,"  he  said,  "but  it  was  not 
intended  to  hurt  your  feelin's  so  much.  I  have  overdone 
the  advice,  I  see;  yes,  I've  overdone  it,  and  I  crave  your 
pardon  for  the  same.  Fri'ndship's  an  awful  thing!  Some 
times  it  chides  us  for  not  having  done  enough;  and  then 
ag'in  it  speaks  in  strong  words  for  havin'  done  too  much. 
Hows' ever,  I  acknowledge  I've  overdone  the  matter,  and 
as  I've  a  ra'al  and  strong  regard  for  you,  I  rej'ice  to  say 
it,  inasmuch  as  it  proves  how  much  better  you  are  than 
my  own  vanity  and  consaits  had  made  you  out  to  be. ' ' 

Judith  now  removed  her  hands  from  her  face,  her  tears 
had  ceased,  and  she  unveiled  a  countenance  so  winning, 
with  the  smile  which  rendered  it  even  radiant,  that  the 
young  man  gazed  at  her  for  a  moment  with  speechless 
delight. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  463 

"Say  no  more,  Deerslayer, "  she  hastily  interposed,  "it 
pains  me  to  hear  you  find  fault  with  yourself.  I  know 
my  own  weakness  all  the  better,  now  I  see  that  you  have 
discovered  it;  the  lesson,  bitter  as  I  have  found  it  for  a 
moment,  shall  not  be  forgotten.  We  will  not  talk  any 
longer  of  these  things,  for  I  do  not  feel  myself  brave 
enough  for  the  undertaking,  and  I  should  not  like  the 
Delaware,  or  Hist,  or  even  Hetty,  to  notice  my  weakness. 
Farewell,  Deerslayer;  may  God  bless  and  protect  you  as 
your  honest  heart  deserves  blessing  and  protection,  and  as 
I  must  think  he  will." 

Judith  had  so  far  regained  the  superiority  that  properly 
belonged  to  her  better  education,  high  spirit,  and  surpass 
ing  personal  advantages,  as  to  preserve  the  ascendency  she 
had  thus  accidentally  obtained,  and  effectually  prevented 
any  return  to  the  subject  that  was  as  singularly  inter 
rupted  as  it  had  been  singularly  introduced.  The  young 
man  permitted  her  to  have  everything  her  own  way,  and 
when  she  pressed  his  hard  hand  in  both  her  own,  he  made 
no  resistance,  but  submitted  to  the  homage  as  quietly, 
and  with  quite  as  matter  of  course  a  manner,  as  a  sover 
eign  would  have  received  a  similar  tribute  from  a  subject 
or  the  mistress  from  her  suitor.  Feeling  had  flushed  the 
face  and  illuminated  the  whole  countenance  of  the  girl, 
and  her  beauty  was  never  more  resplendent  than  when  she 
cast  a  parting  glance  at  the  youth.  That  glance  was  filled 
with  anxiety,  interest,  and  gentle  pity.  At  the  next 
instant  she  darted  into  the  hut  and  was  seen  no  more; 
though  she  spoke  to  Hist  from  a  window,  to  inform  her 
that  their  friend  expected  her  appearance. 

"You  know  enough  of  red-skin  natur'  and  red-skin 
usages,  Wah-ta-Wah,  to  see  the  condition  I  am  in  on 
account  of  this  furlough,"  commenced  the  hunter,  in 
Delaware,  as  soon  as  the  patient  and  submissive  girl  of 
that  people  had  moved  quietly  to  his  side;  "you  will 
therefore  best  onderstand  how  onlikely  I  am  ever  to  talk 
with  you  ag'in.  I've  but  little  to  say;  but  that  little 
comes  from  long  livin'  among  your  people,  and  from 
havin'  obsarved  and  noted  their  usages.  The  life  of  a 
woman  is  hard  at  the  best,  but,  I  must  own,  though  I'm 
not  opinionated  in  favor  of  my  own  color,  that  it  is  harder 


464  THE   DEERSLAYER 

among  the  red  men  than  it  is  among  the  pale  faces.  This 
is  a  p'int  on  which  Christians  may  well  boast,  if  boasting 
can  be  set  down  for  Christianity  in  any  manner  or  form, 
which  I  rather  think  it  cannot.  Hows' ever,  all  women 
have  their  trials.  Red  women  have  their'n  in  what  I 
should  call  the  nat'ral  way,  while  white  women  take  'em 
inoculated  like.  Bear  your  burden,  Hist,  becomingly, 
and  remember,  if  it  be  a  little  toilsome,  how  much  lighter 
it  is  than  that  of  most  Indian  women.  I  know  the  Sar- 
pent  well — what  I  call  cordially — and  he  will  never  be  a 
tyrant  to  anything  he  loves,  though  he  will  expect  to  be 
treated  himself  like  a  Mohican  chief.  There  will  be 
cloudy  days  in  your  lodge,  I  suppose,  for  they  happen 
under  all  usages,  and  among  all  people;  but,  by  keepin' 
the  windows  of  the  heart  open,  there  will  always  be  room 
for  the  sunshine  to  enter.  You  come  of  a  great  stock 
yourself,  and  so  does  Chingachgook.  It's  not  very  likely 
that  either  will  ever  forget  the  sarcumstance,  and  do  any 
thing  to  disgrace  your  forefathers.  Nevertheless,  likin' 
is  a  tender  plant,  and  never  thrives  long  when  watered 
with  tears.  Let  the  'arth  around  your  married  happiness 
be  moistened  by  the  dews  of  kindness." 

"My  pale  brother  is  very  wise;  Wah  will  keep  in  her 
mind  all  that  his  wisdom  tells  her." 

"That's  judicious  and  womanly,  Hist.  Care  in  listen 
ing,  and  stout-heartedness  in  holding  to  good  counsel,  is 
a  wife's  great  protection.  And,  now,  ask  the  Sarpent  to 
come  and  speak  with  me,  for  a  moment,  and  carry  away 
with  you  all  my  best  wishes  and  prayers.  I  shall  think 
of  you,  Hist,  and  of  your  intended  husband,  let  what  may 
come  to  pass,  and  always  wish  you  well,  here  and  here 
after,  whether  the  last  is  to  be  according  to  Indian  idees. 
or  Christian  doctrines." 

Hist  shed  no  tears  at  parting.  She  was  sustained  by 
the  high  resolution  of  one  who  had  decided  on  her  course; 
but  her  dark  eyes  were  luminous  with  the  feelings  that 
.glowed  within,  and  her  pretty  countenance  beamed  with 
an  expression  of  determination  that  was  in  marked  and 
singular  contrast  to  its  ordinary  gentleness.  It  was  but 
a  minute  ere  the  Delaware  advanced  to  the  side  of  his 
friend  with  the  light,  noiseless  tread  of  an  Indian. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  465 

"Come  this-away,  Sarpent,  here  more  out  of  sight  of 
the  women, "  commenced  the  Deerslayer,  "for  I've  several 
things  to  say  that  mustn't  so  much  as  be  suspected,  much 
less  overheard.  You  know  too  well  the  natur'  of  fur 
loughs  and  Mingoes  to  have  any  doubts  or  misgivin's 
consarnin'  what  is  likely  to  happen,  when  I  get  back  to 
the  camp.  On  them  two  p'ints,  therefore,  a  few  words 
will  go  a  great  way.  In  the  first  place,  chief,  I  wish  to 
say  a  little  about  Hist,  and  the  manner  in  which  you  red 
men  treat  your  wives.  I  suppose  it's  accordin'  to  the 
gifts  of  your  people  that  the  women  should  work,  and  the 
men  hunt;  but  there's  such  a  thing  as  moderation  in  all 
matters.  As  for  huntin',  I  see  no  good  reason  why  any 
limits  need  be  set  to  that,  but  Hist  comes  of  too  good  a  stock 
to  toil  like  a  common  drudge.  One  of  your  means  and 
standin'  need  never  want  for  corn,  or  potatoes,  or  anything 
that  the  fields  yield;  therefore,  I  hope  the  hoe  will  never 
be  put  into  the  hands  of  any  wife  of  your'n.  You  know 
I  am  not  quite  a  beggar,  and  all  I  own,  whether  in  am 
munition,  skins,  arms,  or  calicoes,  I  give  to  Hist,  should 
I  not  come  back  to  claim  them  by  the  end  of  the  season. 
This  will  set  the  maiden  up,  and  will  buy  labor  for  her, 
for  a  long  time  to  come.  I  suppose  I  needn't  tell  you  to 
love  the  young  woman,  for  that  you  do  already,  and 
whomsoever  the  man  ra'ally  loves,  he'll  be  likely  enough 
to  cherish.  Nevertheless,  it  can  do  no  harm  to  say  that 
kind  words  never  rankle,  while  bitter  words  do.  I  know 
you're  a  man,  Sarpent,  that  is  less  apt  to  talk  in  his  own 
lodge  than  to  speak  at  the  council-fire;  but  forgetful 
moments  may  overtake  us  all,  and  the  practyce  of  kind 
doin',  and  kind  talkin',  is  a  wonderful  advantage  in 
keepin'  peace  in  a  cabin,  as  well  as  on  a  hunt." 

"My  ears  are  open,"  returned  the  Delaware,  gravely; 
"the  words  of  my  brother  have  entered  so  far  that  they 
never  can  fall  out  again.  They  are  like  rings  that  have 
no  end,  and  cannot  drop.  Let  him  speak  on;  the  song  of 
the  wren  and  the  voice  of  a  friend  never  tire." 

"I  will  speak  a  little  longer,  chief,  but  you  will  excuse 

it  for  the  sake  of  old  companionship,  should  I  now  talk 

about  myself.     If  the  worst  comes  to  the  worst,  it's  not 

likely  there'll  be  much  left  of  me  but  ashes;  so  a  grave 

30 


466  THE   DEERSLAYER 

would  be  useless,  and  a  sort  of  vanity.  On  that  score  I'm 
no  way  partic'lar,  though  it  might  be  well  enough  to 
take  a  look  at  the  remains  of  the  pile,  and  should  any 
bones  or  pieces  be  found,  'twould  be  more  decent  to 
gather  them  together  and  bury  them  than  to  let  them  lie 
for  the  wolves  to  gnaw  at  and  howl  over.  These  matters 
can  make  no  great  difference  in  the  ind,  but  men  of  white 
blood  and  Christian  feelin's  have  rather  a  gift  for  graves. ' ' 

"It  shall  be  as  my  brother  says,"  returned  the  Indian, 
gravely.  "If  his  mind  is  full,  let  him  empty  it  in  the 
bosom  of  a  friend." 

"Thank  you,  Sarpent;  my  mind's  easy  enough;  yes,  it's 
tolerable  easy.  Idees  will  come  uppermost  that  I'm  not 
apt  to  think  about  in  common,  it's  true;  but  by  striving 
ag'in  some,  and  lettin'  others  come  out,  all  will  be  right 
in  the  long  run.  There's  one  thing,  hows'ever,  chief, 
that  does  seem  to  be  onreasonable,  and  ag'in  natur', 
though  the  missionaries  say  it's  true;  and  bein'  of  my 
religion  and  color,  I  feel  bound  to  believe  them.  They 
say  an  Injin  may  torment  and  tortur'  the  body  to  the 
heart's  content,  and  scalp,  and  cut,  and  tear,  and  burn,  and 
consume  all  his  inventions  and  deviltries,  until  nothin' 
is  left  but  ashes,  and  they  shall  be  scattered  to  the  four 
winds  of  heaven,  yet,  when  the  trumpet  of  God  shall 
sound,  all  will  come  together  ag'in,  and  the  man  will 
stand  forth  in  his  flash  the  same  creatur'  as  to  looks,  if 
not  as  to  feelin's,  that  he  was  afore  he  was  harmed!" 

"The  missionaries  are  good  men;  they  mean  well," 
returned  the  Delaware,  courteously;  "they  are  not  great 
medicines.  They  think  all  they  say,  Deerslayer;  that  is 
no  reason  why  warriors  and  orators  should  be  all  ears. 
When  Chingachgook  shall  see  the  father  of  Tamenund 
standing  in  his  scalp,  and  paint,  and  war-lock,  then  will 
he  believe  the  missionaries." 

"Seein'  is  believin',  of  asartainty — ah's  me!  and  some 
of  us  may  see  these  things  sooner  than  we  thought.  I 
comprehend  your  meanin'  about  Tamenund 's  father,  Sar 
pent,  and  the  idee's  a  close  idee.  Tamenund  is  now  an 
elderly  man,  say  eighty,  every  day  of  it;  and  his  father 
was  scalped,  and  tormented,  and  burnt  when  the  present 
prophet  was  a  youngster.  Yes,  if  one  could  see  that 


THE  DEERSLAYER  46V 

come  to  pass,  there  wouldn't  be  much  difficulty  in  yieldin' 
faith  to  all  that  the  missionaries  say.  Hows'ever,  I'm  not 
ag'in  the  opinion  now;  for  you  must  know,  Sarpent,  that 
the  great  principle  of  Christianity  is  to  believe  without 
seeing;  and  a  man  should  always  act  up  to  his  religion 
and  principles,  let  them  be  what  they  may. ' ' 

"That  is  strange  for  a  wise  nation,"  said  the  Delaware, 
with  emphasis.  "The  red  man  looks  hard,  that  he  may 
see  and  understand." 

"Yes,  that's  plauserble  and  is  agreeable  to  mortal 
pride;  but  it's  not  as  deep  as  it  seems.  If  we  could 
understand  all  we  see,  Sarpent,  there  might  be  not  only 
sense,  but  safety,  in  refusin'  to  give  faith  to  any  one 
thing  that  we  might  find  oncomprehensible;  but  when 
there's  so  many  things  about  which  it  may  be  said  we 
know  nothing  at  all,  why,  there's  little  use  and  no  reason 
in  bein'  difficult  touchin'  any  in  partic'lar.  For  my  part, 
Delaware,  all  my  thoughts  haven't  been  on  the  game, 
when  outlyin'  in  the  hunts  and  scoutin's  of  our  youth. 
Many's  the  hour  I've  passed,  pleasantly  enough,  too,  in 
what  is  tarmed  conterplation  by  my  people.  On  such 
occasions  the  mind  is  actyve,  though  the  body  seems  lazy 
and  listless.  An  open  spot  on  a  mountain  side  where  a 
wide  look  can  be  had  at  the  heavens  and  the  'arth,  is  a 
most  judicious  place  for  a  man  to  get  a  just  idee  of  the 
power  of  the  Manitou,  and  of  his  own  littleness.  At  such 
a  time  there  isn't  any  great  disposition  to  find  fault  with 
little  difficulties  in  the  way  of  comprehension,  as  there 
are  so  many  big  ones  to  hide  them.  Believen'  comes  easy 
enough  to  me,  at  such  times;  and  if  the  Lord  made  man 
first,  out  of  'arth,  as  they  tell  me  it  is  written  in  the 
Bible,  then  turns  him  into  dust  at  death,  I  see  no  great 
difficulty  in  the  way  to  bringin'  him  back  in  the  body, 
though  ashes  be  the  only  substance  left.  These  things  lie 
beyond  our  understanding  though  they  may  and  do  lie  so 
close  to  our  feelin's.  But  of  all  the  doctrines,  Sarpent, 
that  which  disturbs  me,  and  disconsarts  my  mind  the 
most,  is  the  one  which  teaches  us  to  think  that  a  pale 
face  goes  to  one  heaven  and  a  red-skin  to  another;  it  may 
separate  in  death  them  which  lived  much  together,  and 
loved  each  other  well  in  life!" 


466  THE   DEERSLAYER 

would  be  useless,  and  a  sort  of  vanity.  On  that  score  I'm 
no  way  particular,  though  it  might  be  well  enough  to 
take  a  look  at  the  remains  of  the  pile,  and  should  any 
bones  or  pieces  be  found,  'twould  be  more  decent  to 
gather  them  together  and  bury  them  than  to  let  them  lie 
for  the  wolves  to  gnaw  at  and  howl  over.  These  matters 
can  make  no  great  difference  in  the  ind,  but  men  of  white 
blood  and  Christian  feelin's  have  rather  a  gift  for  graves. ' ' 

"It  shall  be  as  my  brother  says,"  returned  the  Indian, 
gravely.  "If  his  mind  is  full,  let  him  empty  it  in  the 
bosom  of  a  friend." 

"Thank  you,  Sarpent;  my  mind's  easy  enough;  yes,  it's 
tolerable  easy.  Idees  will  come  uppermost  that  I'm  not 
apt  to  think  about  in  common,  it's  true;  but  by  striving 
ag'in  some,  and  lettin'  others  come  out,  all  will  be  right 
in  the  long  run.  There's  one  thing,  hows 'ever,  chief, 
that  does  seem  to  be  onreasonable,  and  ag'in  natur', 
though  the  missionaries  say  it's  true;  and  bein'  of  my 
religion  and  color,  I  feel  bound  to  believe  them.  They 
say  an  Injin  may  torment  and  tortur'  the  body  to  the 
heart's  content,  and  scalp,  and  cut,  and  tear,  and  burn,  and 
consume  all  his  inventions  and  deviltries,  until  nothin' 
is  left  but  ashes,  and  they  shall  be  scattered  to  the  four 
winds  of  heaven,  yet,  when  the  trumpet  of  God  shall 
sound,  all  will  come  together  ag'in,  and  the  man  will 
stand  forth  in  his  flesh  the  same  creatur'  as  to  looks,  if 
not  as  to  feelin's,  that  he  was  afore  he  was  harmed!" 

"The  missionaries  are  good  men;  they  mean  well," 
returned  the  Delaware,  courteously;  "they  are  not  great 
medicines.  They  think  all  they  say,  Deerslayer;  that  is 
no  reason  why  warriors  and  orators  should  be  all  ears. 
When  Chingachgook  shall  see  the  father  of  Tamenund 
standing  in  his  scalp,  and  paint,  and  war-lock,  then  will 
he  believe  the  missionaries." 

"Seein'  is  believin',  of  asartainty- — ah's  me!  and  some 
of  us  may  see  these  things  sooner  than  we  thought.  I 
comprehend  your  meanin'  about  Tamenund's  father,  Sar 
pent,  and  the  idee's  a  close  idee.  Tamenund  is  now  an 
elderly  man,  say  eighty,  every  day  of  it;  and  his  father 
was  scalped,  and  tormented,  and  burnt  when  the  present 
prophet  was  a  youngster.  Yes,  if  one  could  see  that 


THE  DEERSLAYER  467 

come  to  pass,  there  wouldn't  be  much  difficulty  in  yieldin' 
faith  to  all  that  the  missionaries  say.  Hows'ever,  I'm  not 
ag'in  the  opinion  now;  for  you  must  know,  Sarpent,  that 
the  great  principle  of  Christianity  is  to  believe  without 
seeing;  and  a  man  should  always  act  up  to  his  religion 
and  principles,  let  them  be  what  they  may. ' ' 

"That  is  strange  for  a  wise  nation,"  said  the  Delaware, 
with  emphasis.  "The  red  man  looks  hard,  that  he  may 
see  and  understand." 

"Yes,  that's  plauserble  and  is  agreeable  to  mortal 
pride;  but  it's  not  as  deep  as  it  seems.  If  we  could 
understand  all  we  see,  Sarpent,  there  might  be  not  only 
sense,  but  safety,  in  refusin'  to  give  faith  to  any  one 
thing  that  we  might  find  oncomprehensible;  but  when 
there's  so  many  things  about  which  it  may  be  said  we 
know  nothing  at  all,  why,  there's  little  use  and  no  reason 
in  bein'  difficult  touchin'  any  in  partic'lar.  For  my  part, 
Delaware,  all  my  thoughts  haven't  been  on  the  game, 
when  outlyin'  in  the  hunts  and  scoutin's  of  our  youth. 
Many's  the  hour  I've  passed,  pleasantly  enough,  too,  in 
what  is  tarmed  conterplation  by  my  people.  On  such 
occasions  the  mind  is  actyve,  though  the  body  seems  lazy 
and  listless.  An  open  spot  on  a  mountain  side  where  a 
wide  look  can  be  had  at  the  heavens  and  the  'arth,  is  a 
most  judicious  place  for  a  man  to  get  a  just  idee  of  the 
power  of  the  Manitou,  and  of  his  own  littleness.  At  such 
a  time  there  isn't  any  great  disposition  to  find  fault  with 
little  difficulties  in  the  way  of  comprehension,  as  there 
are  so  many  big  ones  to  hide  them.  Believen'  comes  easy 
enough  to  me,  at  such  times;  and  if  the  Lord  made  man 
first,  out  of  'arth,  as  they  tell  me  it  is  written  in  the 
Bible,  then  turns  him  into  dust  at  death,  I  see  no  great 
difficulty  in  the  way  to  bringin'  him  back  in  the  body, 
though  ashes  be  the  only  substance  left.  These  things  lie 
beyond  our  understandin',  though  they  may  and  do  lie  so 
close  to  our  feelin's.  But  of  all  the  doctrines,  Sarpent, 
that  which  disturbs  me,  and  disconsarts  my  mind  the 
most,  is  the  one  which  teaches  us  to  think  that  a  pale 
face  goes  to  one  heaven  and  a  red-skin  to  another;  it  may 
separate  in  death  them  which  lived  much  together,  and 
loved  each  other  well  in  life!" 


468  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Do  the  missionaries  teach  their  white  brethren  to 
think  it  is  so?"  demanded  the  Indian,  with  serious  ear 
nestness.  "The  Delawares  believe  that  good  men  and 
brave  warriors  will  hunt  together  in  the  same  pleasant 
woods,  let  them  belong  to  whatever  tribe  they  may;  that 
all  the  unjust  Indians,  and  cowards,  will  have  to  sneak 
in  with  the  dogs  and  the  wolves,  to  get  venison  for  their 
lodges. ' ' 

"  'Tis  wonderful  how  many  consaits  mankind  have 
consarnin'  happiness  and  misery,  hereafter!"  exclaimed 
the  hunter,  borne  away  by  the  power  of  his  own  thoughts. 
"Some  believe  in  burnin's  and  flames,  and  some  think 
punishment  is  to  eat  with  the  wolves  and  dogs.  Then, 
ag'in,  some  fancy  heaven  to  be  only  the  carryin'  out  of 
their  own  'arthly  longin's;  while  others  fancy  it  all  gold 
and  shinin'  lights!  Well,  I've  an  idee  of  my  own,  in  that 
matter,  which  is  just  this,  Sarpent.  Whenever  I've  done 
wrong,  I've  ginirally  found  'twas  owin'  to  some  blindness 
of  the  mind,  which  hid  the  right  from  view,  and  when 
sight  has  returned,  then  has  come  sorrow  and  repentance. 
Now,  I  consait  that,  after  death,  when  the  body  is  laid 
aside,  or,  if  used  at  all,  is  purified  and  without  its  long 
in's,  the  spirit  sees  all  things  in  their  ra'al  light,  and 
never  becomes  blind  to  truth  and  justice.  Such  bein'  the 
case,  all  that  has  been  done  in  life,  is  beheld  as  plainly  as 
the  sun  is  seen  at  noon;  the  good  brings  joy,  while  the 
evil  brings  sorrow.  There's  nothin'  onreasonable  in  that, 
but  it's  agreeable  to  every  man's  experience." 

"I  thought  the  pale  faces  believed  all  men  were  wicked; 
who  then  could  ever  find  the  white  man's  heaven?" 

"That's  ingen'ous,  but  it  falls  short  of  the  missionary 
teachin's.  You'll  be  christianized  one  day,  I  make  no 
doubt,  and  then  'twill  all  come  plain  enough.  You  must 
know,  Sarpent,  that  there's  been  a  great  deed  of  salvation 
done,  that,  by  God's  help,  enables  all  men  to  find  a  pardon 
for  their  wickedness,  and  that  is  the  essence  of  the  white 
man's  religion.  I  can't  stop  to  talk  this  matter  over  with 
you  any  longer,  for  Hetty's  in  the  canoe,  and  the  furlough 
takes  me  away;  but  the  time  will  come,  I  hope,  when 
you'll  feel  these  things;  for,  after  all,  they  must  be  felt, 
rather  than  reasoned  about.  Ah's  me!  well,  Delaware, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  469 

there's  my  hand;  you  know  it's  that  of  a  fri'nd,  and  will 
shake  it  as  such,  though  it  never  has  done  you  one  half 
the  good  its  owner  wishes  it  had." 

The  Indian  took  the  offered  hand,  and  returned  its 
pressure  warmly.  Then  falling  back  on  his  acquired 
stoicism  of  manner,  which  so  many  mistake  for  constitu 
tional  indifference,  he  drew  up  in  reserve,  and  prepared 
to  part  from  his  friend  with  dignity.  Deerslayer,  how 
ever,  was  more  natural;  nor  would  he  have  at  all  cared 
about  giving  way  to  his  feelings,  had  not  the  recent  con 
duct  and  language  of  Judith  given  him  some  secret, 
though  ill-defined  apprehensions  of  a  scene.  He  was  too 
humble  to  imagine  the  truth  concerning  the  actual  feel 
ings  of  that  beautiful  girl,  while  he  was  too  observant 
not  to  have  noted  the  struggle  she  had  maintained  with 
herself,  and  which  had  so  often  led  her  to  the  very  verge 
of  discovery.  That  something  extraordinary  was  concealed 
in  her  breast,  he  thought  obvious  enough;  and,  through  a 
sentiment  of  manly  delicacy  that  would  have  done  credit 
to  the  highest  human  refinement,  he  shrank  from  any 
exposure  of  her  secret  that  might  subsequently  cause 
regret  to  the  girl  herself.  He  therefore  determined  to 
depart  now,  and  that  without  any  further  manifestations 
of  feeling,  either  from  himself  or  from  others. 

"God  bless  you!  Sarpent — God  bless  you!"  cried  the 
hunter,  as  the  canoe  left  the  side  of  the  platform.  "Your 
Manitou  and  my  God  only  knows  when  and  where  we  shall 
meet  ag'in;  I  shall  count  it  a  great  blessing,  and  a  full 
reward  for  any  little  good  I  may  have  done  on  'arth,  if 
we  shall  be  permitted  to  know  each  other,  and  to  consort 
together,  hereafter,  as  we  have  so  long  done  in  these 
pleasant  woods  afore  us!" 

Chingachgook  waved  his  hand.  Drawing  the  light 
blanket  he  wore  over  his  head,  as  a  Roman  would  conceal 
his  grief  in  his  robes,  he  slowly  withdrew  into  the  ark,  in 
order  to  indulge  his  sorrow  and  his  musings  alone.  Deer- 
slayer  did  not  speak  again,  until  the  canoe  was  half  way 
to  the  shore.  Then  he  suddenly  ceased  paddling,  at  an 
interruption  that  came  from  the  mild,  musical  voice  of 
Hetty. 

"Why  do  you  go  back  to  the  Hurons,  Deerslayer?" 


470  THE   DEERSLAYER 

demanded  the  girl.  "They  say  I  am  feeble-minded,  and 
such  they  never  harm;  but  you  have  as  much  sense  as 
Hurry  Harry;  and  more  too,  Judith  thinks,  though  I 
don't  see  how  that  can  well  be." 

"Ah!  Hetty,  afore  we  land,  I  must  convarse  a  little 
with  you,  child;  and  that,  too,  on  matters  touching  your 
own  welfare,  principally.  Stop  paddling  —  or,  rather, 
that  the  Mingoes  needn't  think  we  are  plotting  and  con 
triving,  and  so  treat  us  accordingly,  just  dip  your  paddle 
lightly,  and  give  the  canoe  a  little  motion  and  no  more. 
That's  just  the  idee  and  the  movement;  I  see  you're  ready 
enough  at  an  appearance,  and  might  be  made  useful  at 
a  sarcumvention,  if  it  was  lawful  now  to  use  one — that's 
just  the  idee  and  the  movement!  Ah's  me!  Desait  and 
a  false  tongue  are  evil  things,  and  altogether  onbecoming 
our  color,  Hetty;  but  it  is  a  pleasure  and  a  satisfaction  to 
outdo  the  contrivances  of  a  red-skin,  in  the  strife  of  law 
ful  warfare.  My  path  has  been  short,  and  is  like  soon  to 
have  an  end;  but  I  can  see  that  the  wanderings  of  a  war 
rior  aren't  altogether  among  brambles  and  difficulties. 
There's  a  bright  side  to  a  war-path,  as  well  as  to  most 
other  things,  if  we'll  only  have  the  wisdom  to  see  it,  and 
the  ginerosity  to  own  it. ' ' 

"And  why  should  your  war-path,  as  you  call  it,  come 
so  near  to  an  end,  Deerslayer?" 

"Because,  my  good  girl,  my  furlough  comes  so  near  to 
an  end.  They're  likely  to  have  pretty  much  the  same 
tarmination,  as  regards  time — one  following  on  the  heels 
of  the  other,  as  a  matter  of  course. ' ' 

"I  don't  understand  your  meaning,  Deerslayer,"  re 
turned  the  girl,  looking  a  little  bewildered.  "Mother 
always  said  people  ought  to  speak  more  plainly  to  me 
than  to  most  other  persons,  because  I'm  feeble-minded. 
Those  that  are  feeble-minded  don't  understand  as  easily 
as  those  that  have  sense." 

"Well  then,  Hetty,  the  simple  truth  is  this.  You  know 
that  I'm  now  a  captyve  to  the  Hurons,  and  captyves  can't 
do  in  all  things  as  they  please " 

"But  how  can  you  be  a  captive,"  eagerly  interrupted 
the  girl,  "when  you  are  out  here  on  the  lake,  in  father's 
bark  canoe,  and  the  Indians  are  in  the  woods,  with  no 
canoe  at  all?  That  can't  be  true,  Deerslayer!" 


THE   DEERSLAYER  471 

"I  wish  with  all  my  heart  and  soul,  Hetty,  that  you 
was  right,  and  that  I  was  wrong,  instead  of  your  bein' 
all  wrong,  and  my  bein' only  too  near  the  truth.  Free  as 
I  seem  to  your  eyes,  gal,  I'm  bound  hand  and  foot  in 
ra'ality." 

"Well,  it  is  a  great  misfortune  not  to  have  sense! 
Now,  I  can't  see,  or  understand,  that  you  are  a  captive, 
or  bound  in  any  manner.  If  you  are  bound,  with  what 
are  your  hands  and  feet  fastened?" 

"With  a  furlough,  gal;  that's  a  thong  that  binds 
tighter  than  any  chain.  One  may  be  broken,  but  the 
other  can't.  Ropes  and  chains  allow  of  knives,  and  de- 
sait,  and  contrivances;  but  a  furlough  can  be  neither  cut, 
slipped,  nor  sarcum vented." 

"What  sort  of  a  thing  is  a  furlough,  then,  if  it  be 
stronger  than  hemp  or  iron?  I  never  saw  a  furlough." 

"I  hope  you  may  never  feel  one,  gal;  the  tie  is  alto 
gether  in  the  feelin's,  in  these  matters,  and  therefore  is 
to  be  felt  and  not  seen.  You  can  understand  what  it  is 
to  give  a  promise,  I  dare  to  say,  good  little  Hetty?" 

"Certainly.  A  promise  is  to  say  you  will  do  a  thing, 
and  that  binds  you  to  be  as  good  as  your  word.  Mother 
always  kept  her  promises  to  me,  and  then  she  said  it 
would  be  wicked  if  I  didn't  keep  my  promises  to  her,  and 
to  everybody  else." 

"You  have  had  a  good  mother,  in  some  matters,  child, 
whatever  she  may  have  been  in  other  some.  That  is  a 
promise,  and,  as  you  say,  it  must  be  kept.  Now,  I  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Mingoes  last  night,  and  they  let  me 
come  off  to  see  my  fri'nds  and  send  messages  in  to  my 
own  color,  if  any  such  feel  consarn  on  my  account,  on 
condition  that  I  shall  be  back,  when  the  sun  is  up  to-day, 
and  take  whatever  their  revenge  and  hatred  can  contrive, 
in  the  way  of  torments,  in  satisfaction  for  the  life  of  a 
warrior  that  fell  by  my  rifle,  as  well  as  for  that  of  the 
young  woman  shot  by  Hurry,  and  other  disapp'intments 
met  with  on  and  about  this  lake.  What  is  called  a  prom 
ise  atween  a  mother  and  darter,  or  even  atween  strangers, 
in  the  settlements  is  called  a  furlough,  when  given  by  one 
soldier  to  another,  on  a  war-path.  And  now  I  suppose 
you  understand  my  situation,  Hetty?" 


472  THE   DEERSLAYER 

The  girl  made  no  answer  for  some  time,  but  she  ceased 
paddling  altogether,  as  if  the  novel  idea  distracted  her 
mind  too  much  to  admit  of  other  employment.  Then  she 
resumed  the  dialogue  earnestly  and  with  solicitude. 

"Do  you  think  the  Hurons  will  have  the  heart  to  do 
what  you  say,  Deerslayer?"  she  asked.  "I  have  found 
them  kind  and  harmless." 

"That's  true  enough  as  consarns  one  like  you,  Hetty; 
but  it's  a  very  different  affair  when  it  comes  to  an  open 
inimy,  and  he,  too,  the  owner  of  a  pretty  sartain  rifle.  I 
don't  say  that  they  bear  me  special  malice  on  account  of 
any  expl'ites  already  performed,  for  that  would  be  brag 
ging,  as  it  might  be,  on  the  verge  of  the  grave;  but  it's 
no  vanity  to  believe  that  they  know  one  of  their  bravest 
and  cunnin'est  chiefs  fell  by  my  hands.  Such  bein'  the 
case,  the  tribe  would  reproach  them  if  they  failed  to  send 
the  spirit  of  a  pale  face  to  keep  the  company  of  the  spirit 
of  their  red  brother;  always  supposin'  that  he  can  catch 
it.  I  look  for  no  marcy,  Hetty,  at  their  hands;  and  my 
principal  sorrow  is,  that  such  a  calamity  should  befall  me 
on  my  first  war-path;  that  it  would  come  sooner  or  later, 
every  soldier  counts  on  and  expects." 

"The  Hurons  shall  not  harm  you,  Deerslayer,"  cried 
the  girl,  much  excited.  "  'Tis  wicked  as  well  as  cruel,  I 
have  the  Bible  here  to  tell  them  so.  Do  you  think  I 
would  stand  by  and  see  you  tormented?" 

"I  hope  not,  my  good  Hetty,  I  hope  not;  and  therefore, 
when  the  moment  comes,  I  expect  you  will  move  off  and 
not  be  a  witness  of  what  you  can't  help,  while  it  would 
grieve  you.  But  I  haven't  stopped  the  paddles  to  talk  of 
my  own  afflictions  and  difficulties,  but  to  speak  a  little 
plainly  to  you,  gal,  consarnin'  your  own  matters." 

"What  can  you  have  to  say  to  me,  Deerslayer!  Since 
mother  died,  few  talk  to  me  of  such  things." 

"So  much  the  worse,  poor  gal;  yes,  'tis  so  much  the 
worse,  for  one  of  your  state  of  mind  needs  frequent  talk 
ing  to  in  order  to  escape  the  snares  and  desaits  of  this 
wicked  world.  You  haven't  forgotten  Hurry  Harry,  gal, 
so  soon,  I  calculate?" 

"I! — I  forget  Henry  March!" — exclaimed  Hetty,  start 
ing.  "Why  should  I  forget  him,  Deerslayer,  when  he  is 


THE   DEERSLAYER  473 

our  friend,  and  only  left  us  last  night?  Then,  the  large 
bright  star  that  mother  loved  so  much  to  gaze  at,  was  just 
over  the  top  of  yonder  tall  pine  on  the  mountain,  as 
Hurry  got  into  the  canoe;  and  when  you  landed  him  on 
the  point,  near  the  east  bay,  it  wasn't  more  than  the 
length  of  Judith's  handsomest  ribbon  above  it." 

"And  how  can  you  know  how  long  I  was  gone,  or  how 
far  I  went  to  land  Hurry,  seein'  you  were  not  with  us, 
and  the  distance  was  so  great,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
night?" 

"Oh!  I  knew  when  it  was  well  enough,"  returned 
Hetty,  positively.  "There's  more  ways  than  one  for 
counting  time  and  distance.  When  the  mind  is  engaged, 
it  is  better  than  any  clock.  Mine  is  feeble,  I  know,  but 
it  goes  true  enough  in  all  that  touches  poor  Hurry  Harry. 
Judith  will  never  marry  March,  Deerslayer. ' ' 

"That's  the  p'int,  Hetty;  that's  the  very  p'int  I  want 
to  come  to.  I  suppose  you  know  that  it's  nat'ral  for 
young  people  to  have  kind  feelin's  for  one  another,  more 
especially  when  one  happens  to  be  a  youth  and  t'other  a 
maiden.  Now  one  of  your  years  and  mind,  gal,  that  has 
neither  father  nor  mother,  and  who  lives  in  a  wilderness 
frequented  by  hunters  and  trappers,  needs  to  be  on  her 
guard  against  evils  she  little  dreams  of." 

"What  harm  can  it  be  to  think  well  of  a  fellow-crea 
ture?"  returned  Hetty  simply,  though  the  conscious  blood 
was  stealing  to  her  cheeks  in  spite  of  a  spirit  so  pure  that 
it  scarce  knew  why  it  prompted  the  blush;  "the  Bible 
tells  us  to  love  them  who  despitefully  use  us,  and  why 
shouldn't  we  like  them  that  do  not?" 

"Ah!  Hetty,  the  love  of  the  missionaries  isn't  the  sort 
of  likin'  I  mean.  Answer  me  one  thing,  child;  do  you 
believe  yourself  to  have  mind  enough  to  become  a  wife 
and  a  mother?" 

"That's  not  a  proper  question  to  ask  a  young  woman, 
Deerslayer,  and  I'll  not  answer  it,"  returned  the  girl,  in 
a  reproving  manner — much  as  a  parent  rebukes  a  child 
for  an  act  of  indiscretion.  "If  you  have  anything  to  say 
about  Hurry,  I'll  hear  that — but  you  must  not  speak  evil 
of  him;  he  is  absent,  and  'tis  unkind  to  talk  evil  of  the 
absent. ' ' 


CHAPTER  XXVH 

"  Thou  hast  been  busy,  Death,  this  day,  and  yet 
But  half  thy  work  is  done!  The  gates  of  hell 
Are  thronged,  yet  twice  ten  thousand  spirits  more 
Who,  from  their  warm  and  healthful  tenements, 
Fear  no  divorce,  must,  ere  the  sun  go  down, 
Enter  the  world  of  woel" 

— SOTJTHEY. 

ONE  experienced  in  the  signs  of  the  heaveas  would 
have  seen  that  the  sun  wanted  but  two  or  three  minutes 
of  the  zenith,  when  Deerslayer  landed  on  the  point  where 
the  Hurons  were  now  encamped,  nearly  abreast  of  the 
castle.  This  spot  was  similar  to  the  one  already  described 
with  the  exception  that  the  surface  of  the  land  was  less 
broken  and  less  crowded  with  trees.  Owing  to  these  two 
circumstances,  it  was  all  the  better  suited  to  the  purpose 
for  which  it  had  been  selected,  the  space  beneath  the 
branches  bearing  some  resemblance  to  a  densely  wooded 
lawn.  Favored  by  its  position  and  its  spring,  it  had  been 
much  resorted  to  by  savages  and  hunters,  and  the  natural 
grasses  had  succeeded  their  fires,  leaving  an  appearance 
of  sward  in  places,  a  very  unusual  accompaniment  of  the 
virgin  forest.  Nor  was  the  margin  of  water  fringed  with 
bushes  as  on  so  much  of  its  shore,  but  the  eye  penetrated 
the  woods  immediately  on  reaching  the  strand,  command 
ing  nearly  the  whole  area  of  the  projection. 

If  it  was  a  point  of  honor  with  the  Indian  warrior  tore- 
deem  his  word,  when  pledged  to  return  and  meet  his  death 
at  a  given  hour,  so  was  it  a  point  of  characteristic  pride  to 
show  no  womanish  impatience,  but  to  reappear  as  nearly 
as  possible  at  the  appointed  moment.  It  was  well  not  to 
exceed  the  grace  accorded  by  the  generosity  of  the  enemy, 
but  it  was  better  to  meet  it  to  a  minute.  Something  of 
this  dramatic  effect  mingles  with  most  of  the  graver 
usages  of  the  American  aborigines,  and  no  doubt,  like  the 
prevalence  of  a  similar  feeling  among  people  more  so 
phisticated  and  refined,  may  be  referred  to  a  principle  of 

476 


THE   DEERSLAYER  477 

nature.  We  all  love  the  wonderful,  and  when  it  comes 
attended  by  chivalrous  self-devotion  and  a  rigid  regard  to 
honor,  it  presents  itself  to  our  admiration  in  a  shape 
doubly  attractive.  As  respects  Deerslayer,  though  he 
took  a  pride  in  showing  his  white  blood,  by  often  deviat 
ing  from  the  usages  of  the  red  men,  he  frequently  dropped 
into  their  customs,  and  oftener  into  their  feelings,  uncon 
sciously  to  himself,  in  consequence  of  having  no  other 
arbiters  to  appeal  to,  than  their  judgments  and  tastes. 
On  the  present  occasion,  he  would  have  abstained  from 
betraying  a  feverish  haste  by  a  too  speedy  return,  since 
it  would  have  contained  a  tacit  admission  that  the  time 
asked  for  was  more  than  had  been  wanted;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  had  the  idea  occurred  to  him,  he  would  have 
quickened  his  movements  a  little,  in  order  to  avoid  the 
dramatic  appearance  of  returning  at  the  precise  instant 
set  as  the  utmost  limit  of  his  absence.  Still,  accident 
had  interfered  to  defeat  the  last  intention,  for  when  the 
young  man  put  his  foot  on  the  point,  and  advanced  with 
a  steady  tread  towards  the  group  of  chiefs  that  was  seated 
in  grave  array  on  a  fallen  tree,  the  oldest  of  their  number 
cast  his  eye  upward  at  an  opening  in  the  trees,  and 
pointed  out  to  his  companions  the  startling  fact  that  the 
sun  was  just  entering  a  space  that  was  known  to  mark  the 
zenith.  A  common,  but  low  exclamation  of  surprise  and 
admiration  escaped  every  mouth,  and  the  grim  warriors 
looked  at  each  other;  some  with  envy  and  disappointment, 
some  with  astonishment,  at  the  precise  accuracy  of  their 
victim,  and  others  with  a  more  generous  and  liberal  feel 
ing.  The  American  Indians  always  deemed  his  moral 
victories  the  noblest,  prizing  the  groans  and  yielding  of 
his  victim  under  torture  more  than  the  trophy  of  his 
scalp;  and  the  trophy  itself  more  than  his  life.  To  slay, 
and  not  to  bring  off  the  proof  of  victory,  indeed,  was 
scarcely  deemed  honorable;  even  these  rude  and  fierce 
tenants  of  the  forest,  like  their  more  nurtured  brethren 
of  the  court  and  camp,  having  set  up  for  themselves 
imaginary  and  arbitrary  points  of  honor,  to  supplant  the 
conclusions  for  the  right,  and  the  decisions  of  reason. 

The  Hurons  had  been  divided  in  their  opinions  concern 
ing    the    probability  of  their    captive's    return.     Most 


478  THE   DEERSLAYER 

among  them,  indeed,  had  not  expected  it  possible  for  a 
pale  face  to  come  back  voluntarily,  and  meet  the  known 
penalties  of  an  Indian  torture;  but  a  few  of  the  seniors 
expected  better  things  from  one  who  had  already  shown 
himself  so  singularly  cool,  brave  and  upright.  The  party 
had  come  to  its  decision,  however,  less  in  the  expectation 
of  finding  the  pledge  redeemed,  than  in  the  hope  of  dis 
gracing  the  Delawares  by  casting  into  their  teeth  the 
delinquency  of  one  bred  in  their  villages.  They  would 
have  greatly  preferred  that  Chingachgook  should  be  their 
prisoner,  and  prove  the  traitor;  but  the  pale-face  scion  of 
the  hated  stock  was  no  bad  substitute,  for  their  purposes, 
failing  in  their  designs  against  the  ancient  stem.  With 
a  view  to  render  the  triumph  as  signal  as  possible,  in  the 
event  of  the  hour's  passing  without  the  reappearance  of 
the  hunter,  all  the  warriors  and  scouts  of  the  party  had 
been  called  in;  and  the  whole  band,  men,  women,  and 
children,  was  now  assembled  at  this  single  point,  to  be  a 
witness  of  the  expected  scene.  As  the  castle  was  in  plain 
view,  and  by  no  means  distant,  it  was  easily  watched  by 
daylight;  and  it  being  thought  that  its  inmates  were  now 
limited  to  Hurry,  the  Delaware,  and  the  two  girls,  no 
apprehensions  were  felt  of  their  being  able  to  escape  un 
seen.  A  large  raft,  having  a  breast-work  of  logs,  had 
been  prepared,  and  was  in  actual  readiness  to  be  used 
against  either  ark  or  castle,  as  occasion  might  require, 
as  soon  as  the  fate  of  Deerslayer  was  determined;  the 
seniors  of  the  party  having  come  to  the  opinion  that  it 
was  getting  to  be  hazardous  to  delay  their  departure  for 
Canada  beyond  the  coming  night.  In  short,  the  band 
waited  merely  to  dispose  of  this  single  affair,  ere  it 
brought  matters  to  a  crisis,  and  prepared  to  commence 
its  retreat  towards  the  distant  waters  of  Ontario. 

It  was  an  imposing  scene,  into  which  Deerslayer  now 
found  himself  advancing.  All  the  older  warriors  were 
seated  on  the  trunk  of  the  fallen  tree,  waiting  his  ap 
proach  with  grave  decorum.  On  the  right  stood  the 
young  men,  armed,  while  the  left  was  occupied  by  the 
women  and  children.  In  the  center  was  an  open  space  of 
considerable  extent,  always  canopied  by  leaves,  but  from 
which  the  underbrushes,  dead  wood,  and  other  obstacles 


THE   DEERSLAYER  479 

had  been  carefully  removed.  The  more  open  area  had 
probably  been  much  used  by  former  parties,  for  this  was 
the  place  where  the  appearance  of  a  sward  was  the  most 
decided.  The  arches  of  the  woods,  even  at  high  noon, 
cast  their  somber  shadows  on  the  spot,  which  the  brilliant 
rays  of  the  sun  that  struggled  through  the  leaves  contrib 
uted  to  mellow,  and,  if  such  an  expression  can  be  used, 
to  illuminate.  It  was  probably  from  a  similar  scene  that 
the  mind  of  man  first  got  its  idea  of  the  effects  of  Gothic 
tracery  and  churchly  hues;  this  temple  of  nature  produc 
ing  some  such  effect,  so  far  as  light  and  shadows  were 
concerned,  as  the  well-known  offspring  of  human  inven 
tion. 

As  was  not  unusual  among  the  tribes  and  wandering 
bands  of  the  aborigines,  two  chiefs  shared,  in  nearly 
equal  degrees,  the  principal  and  primitive  authority  that 
was  wielded  over  these  children  of  the  forest.  There  were 
several  who  might  claim  the  distinction  of  being  chief 
men,  but  the  two  in  question  were  so  much  superior  to 
all  the  rest  in  influence,  that  when  they  agreed,  no  one 
disputed  their  mandates;  and  when  they  were  divided, 
the  band  hesitated,  like  men  who  had  lost  their  governing 
principle  of  action.  It  was  also  in  conformity  with  prac 
tise — perhaps  we  might  add  in  conformity  with  nature — 
that  one  of  the  chiefs  was  indebted  to  his  mind  for  his 
influence,  whereas  the  other  owed  his  distinction  alto 
gether  to  qualities  that  were  physical.  One  was  a  senior, 
well  known  for  eloquence  in  debate,  wisdom  in  council, 
and  prudence  in  measures;  while  his  great  competitor,  if 
not  his  rival,  was  a  brave,  distinguished  in  war,  notori 
ous  for  ferocity,  and  remarkable,  in  the  way  of  intel 
lect,  for  nothing  but  the  cunning  and  expedients  of  the 
war-path.  The  first  was  Rivenoak,  who  has  already  been 
introduced  to  the  reader,  while  the  last  was  called  Le 
Panthere,  in  the  language  of  the  Canadas;  or  the  Panther, 
to  resort  to  the  vernacular  of  the  English  colonies.  The 
appellation  of  the  fighting  chief  was  supposed  to  indicate 
the  qualities  of  the  warrior,  agreeably  to  a  practise  of 
the  red-man's  nomenclature;  ferocity,  cunning,  and 
treachery  being,  perhaps,  the  distinctive  features  of  his 
character.  The  title  had  been  received  from  the  French, 


480  THE   DEERSLAYER 

and  was  prized  so  much  the  more  from  that  circumstance, 
the  Indian  submitting  profoundly  to  the  greater  intelli 
gence  of  his  pale-face  allies,  in  most  things  of  this  nature. 
How  well  the  sobriquet  was  merited,  will  be  seen  in  the 
sequel. 

Rivenoak  and  the  Panther  sat  side  by  side,  awaiting 
the  approach  of  their  prisoner,  as  Deerslayer  put  his 
moccasined  foot  on  the  strand;  nor  did  either  move  or 
utter  a  syllable  until  the  young  man  had  advanced  into 
the  center  of  the  area,  and  proclaimed  his  presence  with 
his  voice.  This  was  done  firmly,  though  in  the  simple 
manner  that  marked  the  character  of  the  individual. 

"Here  I  am,  Mingoes, "  he  said,  in  the  dialect  of  the 
Delawares,  a  language  that  most  present  understood; 
"here  I  am,  and  there  is  the  sun.  One  is  not  more  true 
to  the  laws  of  natur',  than  the  other  has  proved  true  to 
his  word.  I  am  your  prisoner;  do  with  me  what  you 
please.  My  business  with  man  and  'arth  is  settled;  noth 
ing  remains  now  but  to  meet  the  white  man's  God, 
accordin'  to  a  white  man's  duties  and  gifts." 

A  murmur  of  approbation  escaped  even  the  women  at 
this  address,  and,  for  an  instant,  there  was  a  strong  and 
pretty  general  desire  to  adopt  into  the  tribe  one  who 
owned  so  brave  a  spirit.  Still  there  were  dissenters  from 
this  wish,  among  the  principal  of  whom  might  be  classed 
the  Panther,  and  his  sister,  Le  Sumach,  so  called  from 
the  number  of  her  children,  who  was  the  widow  of  Le 
Loup  Cervier,  now  known  to  have  fallen  by  the  hand  of 
the  captive.  Native  ferocity  held  one  in  subjection,  while 
the  corroding  passion  of  revenge  prevented  the  other 
from  admitting  any  gentler  feeling  at  the  moment.  Not 
so  with  Rivenoak.  This  chief  arose,  stretched  his  arm 
before  him,  in  a  gesture  of  courtesy,  and  paid  his  com 
pliments  with  an  ease  and  dignity  that  a  prince  might 
have  envied.  As,  in  that  band,  his  wisdom  and  eloquence 
were  confessedly  without  rivals,  he  knew  that  on  him 
self  would  properly  fall  the  duty  of  first  replying  to  the 
speech  of  the  pale  face. 

"Paleface,  you  are  honest,"  said  the  Huron  orator. 
"My  people  are  happy  in  having  captured  a  man,  and  not 
a  skulking  fox.  We  now  know  you;  we  shall  treat  you 


THE   DEERSLAYER  481 

like  a  brave.  If  you  have  slain  one  of  our  warriors,  and 
helped  to  kill  others,  you  have  a  life  of  your  own  ready 
to  give  away  in  return.  Some  of  my  young  men  thought 
that  the  blood  of  a  pale  face  was  too  thin;  that  it  would 
refuse  to  run  under  the  Huron  knife.  You  will  show 
them  it  is  not  so;  your  heart  is  stout  as  well  as  your 
body.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  make  such  a  prisoner;  should 
my  warriors  say  that  the  death  of  Le  Loup  Cervier  ought 
not  to  be  forgotten,  and  that  he  cannot  travel  towards 
the  land  of  spirits  alone,  that  his  enemy  must  be  sent  to 
overtake  him,  they  will  remember  that  he  fell  by  the 
hand  of  a  brave,  and  send  you  after  him  with  such  signs 
of  our  friendship  as  shall  not  make  him  ashamed  to  keep 
your  company.  I  have  spoken;  you  know  what  I  have 
said." 

"True  enough,  Mingo,  all  true  as  the  gospel,"  returned 
the  simple-minded  hunter;  "you  have  spoken,  and  I  do 
know  not  only  what  you  have  said,  but,  what  is  still  more 
important,  what  you  mean.  I  dare  say  your  warrior,  the 
Lynx,  was  a  stout-hearted  brave,  and  worthy  of  your 
fri'ndship  and  respect,  but  I  do  not  feel  onworthy  to  keep 
his  company,  without  any  passport  from  your  hands. 
Nevertheless,  here  I  am,  ready  to  receive  judgment  from 
your  council,  if,  indeed,  the  matter  was  not  detarmined 
among  you,  afore  I  got  back." 

"My  old  men  would  not  sit  in  council  over  a  pale  face 
until  they  saw  him  among  them,"  answered  Rivenoak, 
looking  around  him  a  little  ironically;  "they  said  it 
would  be  like  sitting  in  council  over  the  winds;  they  go 
where  they  will,  and  come  back  as  they  see  fit,  and  not 
otherwise.  There  was  one  voice  that  spoke  in  your  favor, 
Deerslayer,  but  it  was  alone,  like  the  song  of  the  wren 
whose  mate  has  been  struck  by  the  hawk. ' ' 

"I  thank  that  voice,  whos'ever  it  may  have  been,  Mingo, 
and  will  say  it  was  as  true  a  voice  as  the  rest  were  lying 
voices.  A  furlough  is  as  binding  on  a  pale  face,  if  he  be 
honest,  as  it  is  on  a  red-skin;  and  was  it  not  so,  I  would 
never  bring  disgrace  on  the  Delawares,  among  whom  I 
may  be  said  to  have  received  my  edication.  But  words 
are  useless,  and  lead  to  braggin'  feelin's;  here  I  am;  act 
your  will  on  me." 
31 


482  THE   DEERSLAYER 

Rivenoak  made  a  sign  of  acquiescence,  and  then  a  short 
conference  was  privately  held  among  the  chiefs.  As  soon 
as  the  latter  ended,  three  or  four  young  men  fell  back 
from  among  the  armed  group,  and  disappeared.  Then  it 
was  signified  to  the  prisoner  that  he  was  at  liberty  to  go 
at  large  on  the  point,  until  a  council  was  held  concerning 
his  fate.  There  was  more  of  seeming,  than  of  real  confi 
dence,  however,  in  this  apparent  liberality,  inasmuch  as 
the  young  men  mentioned  already  formed  a  line  of  sen 
tinels  across  the  breadth  of  the  point,  inland,  and  escape 
from  any  other  part  was  out  of  the  question.  Even  the 
canoe  was  removed  beyond  this  line  of  sentinels,  to  a  spot 
where  it  was  considered  safe  from  any  sudden  attempt. 
These  precautions  did  not  proceed  from  a  failure  of  con 
fidence,  but  from  the  circumstance  that  the  prisoner  had 
now  complied  with  all  the  required  conditions  of  his 
parole,  and  it  would  have  been  considered  a  commendable 
and  honorable  exploit  to  escape  from  his  foes.  So  nice, 
indeed,  were  the  distinctions  drawn  by  the  savages,  in 
cases  of  this  nature,  that  they  often  gave  their  victims  a 
chance  to  evade  the  torture,  deeming  it  as  creditable  to 
the  captors  to  overtake,  or  to  outwit  a  fugitive,  when  his 
exertions  were  supposed  to  be  quickened  by  the  extreme 
jeopardy  of  his  situation,  as  it  was  for  him  to  get  clear 
from  so  much  extraordinary  vigilance. 

Nor  was  Deerslayer  unconscious  of,  or  forgetful  of,  his 
rights,  and  of  his  opportunities.  Could  he  now  have  seen 
any  probable  opening  for  an  escape,  the  attempt  would 
not  have  been  delayed  a  minute.  But  the  case  seemed 
desperate.  He  was  aware  of  the  line  of  sentinels,  and 
felt  the  difficulty  of  breaking  through  it,  unharmed.  The 
lake  offered  no  advantages,  as  the  canoe  would  have  given 
his  foes  the  greatest  facilities  for  overtaking  him;  else 
would  he  have  found  it  no  difficult  task  to  swim  as  far  as 
the  castle.  As  he  walked  about  the  point,  he  even  ex 
amined  the  spot  to  ascertain  if  it  offered  no  place  of 
concealment;  but  its  openness,  its  size,  and  the  hundred 
watchful  glances  that  were  turned  towards  him,  even 
while  those  who  made  them  affected  not  to  see  him,  pre 
vented  any  such  expedient  from  succeeding.  The  dread 
and  disgrace  of  failure  had  no  influence  on  Deerslayer, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  483 

who  deemed  it  ever  a  point  of  honor  to  reason  and  feel 
like  white  men,  rather  than  as  an  Indian,  and  who  felt  it 
a  sort  of  duty  to  do  all  he  could,  that  did  not  involve  a 
dereliction  from  principle,  in  order  to  save  his  life.  Still 
he  hesitated  about  making  the  effort,  for  he  also  felt  that 
he  ought  to  see  the  chances  of  success  before  he  committed 
himself. 

In  the  meantime  the  business  of  the  camp  appeared  to 
proceed  in  its  regular  train.  The  chiefs  consulted  apart, 
admitting  no  one  but  the  Sumach  to  their  councils;  for 
she,  the  widow  of  the  fallen  warrior,  had  an  exclusive 
right  to  be  heard  on  such  an  occasion.  The  young  men 
strolled  about  in  indolent  listlessness,  awaiting  the  result 
with  Indian  impatience,  while  the  females  prepared  the 
feast  that  was  to  celebrate  the  termination  of  the  affair, 
whether  it  proved  fortunate  or  otherwise  for  our  hero.  No 
one  betrayed  feeling;  and  an  indifferent  observer,  beyond 
the  extreme  watchfulness  of  the  sentinels,  would  have 
detected  no  extraordinary  movement  or  sensation  to  de 
note  the  real  state  of  things.  Two  or  three  old  women 
put  their  heads  together,  and  it  appeared  unfavorably  to 
the  prospects  of  Deerslayer,  by  their  scowling  looks  and 
angry  gestures;  but  a  group  of  Indian  girls  were  evi 
dently  animated  by  a  different  impulse,  as  was  apparent 
by  stolen  glances  that  expressed  pity  and  regret.  In  this 
condition  of  the  camp,  an  hour  soon  glided  away. 

Suspense  is,  perhaps,  the  feeling,  of  all  others,  that  is 
most  difficult  to  be  supported.  When  Deerslayer  landed, 
he  fully  expected  in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes  to 
undergo  the  tortures  of  an  Indian  revenge,  and  he  was 
prepared  to  meet  his  fate  manfully;  but  the  delay  proved 
far  more  trying  than  the  nearer  approach  of  suffering, 
and  the  intended  victim  began  seriously  to  meditate  some 
desperate  effort  at  escape,  as  it  might  be  from  sheer 
anxiety  to  terminate  the  scene,  when  he  was  suddenly 
summoned  to  appear,  once  more,  in  front  of  his  judges, 
who  had  already  arranged  the  band  in  its  former  order, 
in  readiness  to  receive  him. 

"Killer  of  the  Deer,"  commenced  Rivenoak,  as  soon  as 
his  captive  stood  before  him,  "my  aged  men  have  listened 
to  wise  words;  they  are  ready  to  speak.  You  are  a  man 


484  THE   DEERSLAYER 

whose  fathers  came  from  beyond  the  rising  sun;  we  are 
children  of  the  setting  sun;  we  turn  our  faces  towards 
the  Great  Sweet  Lakes  when  we  look  towards  our  villages. 
It  may  be  a  wise  country  and  full  of  riches  towards  the 
morning,  but  it  is  very  pleasant  towards  the  evening.  We 
love  most  to  look  in  that  direction.  When  we  gaze  at  the 
east  we  feel  afraid,  canoe  after  canoe  bringing  more  and 
more  of  your  people  in  the  track  of  the  sun,  as  if  their 
land  was  so  full  as  to  run  over.  The  red  men  are  few 
already;  they  have  need  of  help.  One  of  our  best  lodges 
has  lately  been  emptied  by  the  death  of  its  master;  it 
will  be  a  long  time  before  his  son  can  grow  big  enough  to 
sit  in  his  place.  There  is  his  widow!  she  will  want  veni 
son  to  feed  her  and  her  children,  for  her  sons  are  yet  like 
the  young  of  the  robin  before  they  quit  the  nest.  By 
your  hand  has  this  calamity  befallen  her.  She  has  two 
duties;  one  to  Le  Loup  Cervier,  and  one  to  his  children. 
Scalp  for  scalp,  life  for  life,  blood  for  blood,  is  one  law; 
to  feed  her  young  another.  We  know  you,  Killer  of  the 
Deer.  You  are  honest;  when  you  say  a  thing  it  is  so. 
You  have  but  one  tongue,  and  that  is  not  forked  like  a 
snake's.  Your  head  is  never  hid  in  the  grass;  all  can  see 
it.  What  you  say  that  will  you  do.  You  are  just.  When 
you  have  done  wrong,  it  is  your  wish  to  do  right  again  as 
soon  as  you  can.  Here  is  the  Sumach;  she  is  alone  in  her 
wigwam,  with  children  crying  around  her  for  food;  yon 
der  is  a  rifle,  it  is  loaded  and  ready  to  be  fired.  Take  the 
gun;  go  forth  and  shoot  a  deer;  bring  the  venison  and 
lay  it  before  the  widow  of  Le  Loup  Cervier;  feed  her 
children;  call  yourself  her  husband.  After  which,  your 
heart  will  no  longer  be  Delaware  but  Huron;  Le  Sumach's 
ears  will  not  hear  the  cries  of  her  children;  my  people 
will  count  the  proper  number  of  warriors." 

"I  feared  this,  Rivenoak, "  answered  Deerslayer,  when 
the  other  had  ceased  speaking;  "yes>  I  did  dread  that  it 
would  come  to  this.  Hows' ever,  the  truth  is  soon  told, 
and  that  will  put  an  end  to  all  expectations  on  this  head. 
Mingo,  I'm  white,  and  Christian-born;  'twould  ill  become 
me  to  take  a  wife,  under  red-skin  forms,  from  among 
heathen.  That  which  I  wouldn't  do  in  peaceable  times, 
and  under  a  bright  sun,  still  less  would  I  do  behind 


THE   DEERSLAYER  485 

clouds,  in  order  to  save  my  life.  I  may  never  marry; 
most  likely  Providence,  in  putting  me  up  here  in  the 
woods,  has  intended  I  should  live  single,  and  without  a 
lodge  of  my  own;  but  should  such  a  thing  come  to  pass, 
none  but  a  woman  of  my  own  color  and  gifts  shall  darken 
the  door  of  my  wigwam.  As  for  feeding  the  young  of 
your  dead  warrior,  I  would  do  that  cheerfully,  could  it  be 
done  without  discredit;  but  it  cannot,  seeing  that  I  can 
never  live  in  a  Huron  village.  Your  own  young  men 
must  find  the  Sumach  in  venison,  and  the  next  time  she 
marries,  let  her  take  a  husband  whose  legs  are  not  long 
enough  to  overrun  territory  that  don't  belong  to  him. 
We  fou't  a  fair  battle,  and  he  fell;  in  this  there  is  nothin' 
but  what  a  brave  expects,  and  should  be  ready  to  meet. 
As  for  getting  a  Mingo  heart,  as  well  might  you  expect 
to  see  gray  hairs  on  a  boy,  or  the  blackberry  growing  on 
the  pine.  No,  no,  Huron;  my  gifts  are  white,  so  far  as 
wives  are  consarned;  it  is  Delaware  in  all  things  touchin' 
In  j  ins." 

These  words  were  scarcely  out  of  the  mouth  of  Deer- 
slayer,  before  a  common  murmur  betrayed  the  dissatisfac 
tion  with  which  they  had  been  heard.  The  aged  women, 
in  particular,  were  loud  in  their  expressions  of  disgust; 
and  the  gentle  Sumach  herself,  a  woman  quite  old  enough 
to  be  our  hero's  mother,  was  not  the  least  pacific  in  her 
denunciations.  But  all  the  other  manifestations  of  dis 
appointment  and  discontent  were  thrown  into  the  back 
ground  by  the  fierce  resentment  of  the  Panther.  This 
grim  chief  had  thought  it  a  degradation  to  permit  his 
sister  to  become  the  wife  of  a  pale  face  of  the  Yengeese, 
at  all,  and  had  only  given  a  reluctant  consent  to  the  ar 
rangement — one  by  no  means  unusual  among  the  Indians, 
however — at  the  earnest  solicitations  of  the  bereaved 
widow;  and  it  goaded  him  to  the  quick  to  find  his  conde 
scension  slighted,  the  honor  he  with  so  much  regret  had 
been  persuaded  to  accord,  contemned.  The  animal  from 
which  he  got  his  name  does  not  glare  on  his  intended  prey 
with  more  frightful  ferocity  than  his  eyes  gleamed  on  the 
captive;  nor  was  his  arm  backward  in  seconding  the  fierce 
resentment  tl  nt  almost  consumed  his  breast. 

"Dog  of  the  pale  faces!"  he  exclaimed,  in  Iroquois, 


486  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"go  yell  among  the  curs  of  your  own  evil  hunting- 
grounds!" 

The  denunciation  was  accompanied  by  an  appropriate 
action.  Even  while  speaking  his  arm  was  lifted  and  the 
tomahawk  hurled.  Luckily  the  loud  tones  of  the  speaker 
had  drawn  the  eye  of  Deerslayer  towards  him,  else  would 
that  moment  have  probably  closed  his  career.  So  great 
was  the  dexterity  with  which  this  dangerous  weapon  was 
thrown,  and  so  deadly  the  intent,  that  it  would  have  riven 
the  skull  of  the  prisoner,  had  he  not  stretched  forth  an 
arm,  and  caught  the  handle  in  one  of  its  turns,  with  a 
readiness  quite  as  remarkable  as  the  skill  with  which  the 
missile  had  been  hurled.  The  projectile's  force  was  so 
great,  notwithstanding,  that  when  Deerslayer's  arm  was 
arrested,  his  hand  was  raised  above  and  behind  his  own 
head,  and  in  the  very  attitude  necessary  to  return  the 
attack.  It  is  not  certain  whether  the  circumstance  of 
finding  himself  unexpectedly  in  this  menacing  posture 
and  armed,  tempted  the  young  man  to  retaliate,  or 
whether  sudden  resentment  overcame  his  forbearance  and 
prudence.  His  eye  kindled,  however,  and  a  small  red 
spot  appeared  on  each  cheek,  while  he  cast  all  his  energy 
i-nto  the  effort  of  his  arm,  and  threw  back  the  weapon  at 
h-is  assailant.  The  unexpectedness  of  this  blow  contrib 
uted  to  its  success;  the  Panther  neither  raising  an  arm 
nor  bending  his  head  to  avoid  it.  The  keen  little  axe 
struck  the  victim  in  a  perpendicular  line  with  the  nose, 
directly  between  the  eyes,  literally  braining  him  on  the 
spot.  Sallying  forward,  as  the  serpent  darts  at  its  enemy 
even  while  receiving  its  own  death  wound,  this  man  of 
powerful  frame  fell  his  length  into  the  open  area  formed 
by  the  circle,  quivering  in  death.  A  common  rush  to  his 
relief  left  the  captive,  for  a  single  instant,  quite  without 
the  crowd;  and,  willing  to  make  one  desperate  effort  for 
life,  he  bounded  off  with  the  activity  of  a  deer.  There 
was  but  a  breathless  instant,  when  the  whole  band,  old 
and  young,  women  and  children,  abandoning  the  lifeless 
body  of  the  Panther  where  it  lay,  raised  the  yell  of  alarm 
and  followed  in  pursuit. 

Sudden  as  had  been  the  event  which  induced  Deerslayer 
to  make  this  desperate  trial  of  speed,  his  mind  was  not 


THE   DEERSLAYER  487 

wholly  unprepared  for  the  fearful  emergency.  In  the 
course  of  the  past  hour  he  had  pondered  well  on  the 
chances  of  such  an  experiment,  and  had  shrewdly  calcu 
lated  all  the  details  of  success  and  failure.  At  the  first 
leap,  therefore,  his  body  was  completely  under  the  direc 
tion  of  an  intelligence  that  turned  all  its  efforts  to  the 
best  account,  and  prevented  everything  like  hesitation  or 
indecision,  at  the  important  instant  of  the  start.  To  this 
alone  was  he  indebted  for  the  first  great  advantage,  that 
of  getting  through  the  line  of  sentinels  unharmed.  The 
manner  in  which  this  was  done,  though  sufficiently  simple, 
merits  a  description. 

Although  the  shores  of  the  point  were  not  fringed  with 
bushes,  as  was  the  case  with  most  of  the  others  on  the 
lake,  it  was  owing  altogether  to  the  circumstance  that 
the  spot  had  been  so  much  used  by  hunters  and  fishermen. 
This  fringe  commenced  on  what  might  be  termed  the 
main  land,  and  was  as  dense  as  usual,  extending  in  long 
lines  both  north  and  south.  In  the  latter  direction,  then 
Deerslayer  held  his  way;  and,  as  the  sentinels  were  a 
little  without  the  commencement  of  this  thicket  before 
the  alarm  was  clearly  communicated  to  them,  the  fugi 
tive  had  gained  its  cover.  To  run  among  the  bushes, 
however,  was  out  of  the  question,  and  Deerslayer  held  his 
way  for  some  forty  or  fifty  yards  in  the  water,  which  was 
barely  knee  deep,  offering  as  great  an  obstacle  to  the 
speed  of  his  pursuers  as  it  did  to  his  own.  As  boon  as  a 
favorable  spot  presented  he  darted  through  the  line  of 
bushes,  and  issued  into  the  open  woods. 

Several  rifles  were  discharged  at  Deerslayer  while  in 
the  water,  and  more  followed  as  he  came  out  into  the 
comparative  exposure  of  the  clear  forest.  But  the  direc 
tion  of  his  line  of  flight,  which  partially  crossed  that  of 
the  fire,  the  haste  with  which  the  weapons  had  been 
aimed,  and  the  general  confusion  that  prevailed  in  the 
camp,  prevented  any  harm  from  being  done.  Bullets 
whistled  past  him,  and  many  cut  twigs  from  the  branches 
at  "his  side,  but  not  one  touched  even  his  dress.  The  delay 
caused  by  these  fruitless  attempts  was  of  great  service  to 
the  fugitive,  who  had  gained  more  than  a  hundred  yards 
on  even  the  leading  men  of  the  Hurons,  ere  something 


488  THE   DEERSLAYER 

like  concert  and  order  had  entered  into  the  chase.  To 
think  of  following  with  rifle  in  hand  was  out  of  the  ques 
tion;  and  after  emptying  their  pieces  in  vague  hope  of 
wounding  their  captive,  the  best  runners  of  the  Indians 
threw  them  aside,  calling  out  to  the  women  and  boys  to 
recover  and  load  them  again  as  soon  as  possible. 

Deerslayei'  knew  too  well  the  desperate  nature  of  the 
struggle  in  which  he  was  engaged,  to  lose  one  of  the 
precious  moments.  He  also  knew  that  his  only  hope  was 
to  run  in  a  straight  line,  for  as  soon  as  he  began  to  turn, 
or  double,  the  greater  number  of  his  pursuers  would  put 
escape  out  of  the  question.  He  held  his  way,  therefore, 
in  a  diagonal  direction  up  the  acclivity,  which  was  neither 
very  high  nor  very  steep,  in  this  part  of  the  mountain,  but 
which  was  sufficiently  toilsome  for  one  contending  for 
life,  to  render  it  painfully  oppressive.  There,  however, 
he  slackened  his  speed,  to  recover  breath,  proceeding  even 
at  a  quick  walk,  or  a  slow  trot,  along  the  more  difficult 
parts  of  the  way.  The  Hurons  were  whooping  and  leap 
ing  behind  him;  but  this  he  disregarded,  well  knowing 
they  must  overcome  the  difficulties  he  had  surmounted, 
ere  they  could  reach  the  elevation  to  which  he  had  at 
tained.  The  summit  of  the  first  hill  was  now  quite  near 
him,  and  he  saw,  by  the  formation  of  the  land,  that  a 
deep  glen  intervened,  before  the  base  of  a  second  hill 
could  be  reached.  Walking  deliberately  to  the  summit, 
he  glanced  eagerly  about  him,  in  every  direction,  in  quest 
of  a  cover.  None  offered  in  the  ground;  but  a  fallen  tree 
lay  near  him,  and  desperate  circumstances  required  des 
perate  remedies.  This  tree  lay  in  a  line  parallel  to  the 
glen,  at  the  brow  of  the  hill ;  to  leap  on  it,  and  then  to 
force  his  person  as  closely  as  possible  under  its  lower 
side,  took  but  a  moment.  Previously  to  disappearing 
from  his  pursuers,  however,  Deerslayer  stood  on  the 
height,  and  gave  a  cry  of  triumph,  as  if  exulting  at  the 
sight  of  the  descent  that  lay  before  him.  In  the  next 
instant  he  was  stretched  beneath  the  tree. 

No  sooner  was  this  expedient  adopted,  than  the  young 
man  ascertained  how  desperate  had  been  his  own  efforts, 
by  the  violence  of  the  pulsation  in  his  frame.  He  could 
hear  his  heart  beat,  and  his  breathing  was  like  the  action 


THE   DEERSLAYER  489 

of  a  bellows  in  quick  motion.  Breath  was  gained,  how 
ever,  and  the  heart  soon  ceased  to  throb  as  if  about  to 
break  through  its  confinement.  The  footsteps  of  those 
who  toiled  up  the  opposite  side  of  the  acclivity  were  now 
audible,  and  presently  voices  and  treads  announced  the 
arrival  of  the  pursuers.  The  foremost  shouted  as  they 
reached  the  height;  then,  fearful  that  their  enemy  would 
escape  under  favor  of  the  descent,  each  leaped  upon  the 
fallen  tree,  and  plunged  into  the  ravine,  trusting  to  get 
a  sight  of  the  pursued,  ere  he  reached  the  bottom.  In 
this  manner,  Huron  followed  Huron,  until  Natty  began 
to  hope  the  whole  had  passed.  Others  succeeded,  how 
ever,  until  quite  forty  had  leaped  over  the  tree;  and  then 
he  counted  them,  as  the  surest  mode  of  ascertaining  how 
many  could  be  behind.  Presently  all  were  in  the  bottom 
of  the  glen,  quite  a  hundred  feet  below  him,  and  some 
had  even  ascended  part  of  the  opposite  hill,  when  it  be 
came  evident  an  inquiry  was  making,  as  to  the  direction 
he  had  taken.  This  was  the  critical  moment;  and  one  of 
nerves  less  steady,  or  of  a  training  that  had  been  neg 
lected,  would  have  seized  it  to  rise  and  fly.  Not  so  with 
Deerslayer.  He  still  lay  quiet,  watching  with  jealous 
vigilance  every  movement  below,  and  fast  regaining  his 
breath. 

The  Hurons  now  resembled  a  pack  of  hounds  at  fault. 
Little  was  said,  but  each  man  ran  about,  examining  the 
dead  leaves,  as  the  hound  hunts  for  the  lost  scent.  The 
great  number  of  moccasins  that  had  passed  made  the 
examination  difficult,  though  the  in-toe  of  an  Indian  was 
easily  to  be  distinguished  from  the  freer  and  wider  step 
of  a  white  man.  Believing  that  no  more  pursuers  re 
mained  behind,  and  hoping  to  steal  away  unseen,  Deer- 
slayer  suddenly  threw  himself  over  the  tree,  and  fell  on 
the  upper  side.  This  achievement  appeared  to  be  affected 
successfully,  and  hope  beat  high  in  the  bosom  of  the 
fugitive.  Rising  to  his  hands  and  feet,  after  a  moment 
lost  in  listening  to  the  sounds  in  the  glen,  in  order  to 
ascertain  if  he  had  been  seen,  the  young  man  next 
scrambled  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  a  distance  of  only  ten 
yards,  in  the  expectation  of  getting  its  brow  between  him 
and  his  pursuers,  and-  himself  so  far  under  cover.  Even 


490  THE   DEERSLAYER 

this  was  effected,  and  he  rose  to  his  feet,  walking  swiftly 
but  steadily  along  the  summit,  in  a  direction  opposite  to 
that  in  which  he  had  first  fled.  The  nature  of  the  calls  in 
the  glen,  however,  soon  made  him  uneasy,  and  he  sprang 
upon  the  summit,  again,  in  order  to  reconnoiter.  No 
sooner  did  he  reach  the  height  than  he  was  seen,  and  the 
chase  renewed.  As  it  was  better  footing  on  the  level 
ground,  Deerslayer  now  avoided  the  side-hill,  holding  his 
flight  along  the  ridge;  while  the  Hurons,  judging  from 
the  general  formation  of  the  land,  saw  that  the  ridge 
would  soon  melt  into  the  hollow,  and  kept  to  the  latter, 
as  the  easiest  mode  of  heading  the  fugitive.  A  few,  at 
the  same  time,  turned  south,  with  a  view  to  prevent  his 
escaping  in  that  direction;  while  some  crossed  his  trail 
towards  the  water,  in  order  to  prevent  his  retreat  by  the 
lake,  running  southerly. 

The  situation  of  Deerslayer  was  now  more  critical  than 
it  ever  had  been.  He  was  virtually  surrounded  on  three 
sides,  having  the  lake  on  the  fourth.  But  he  had  pon 
dered  well  on  all  the  chances,  and  took  his  measures  with 
coolness,  even  while  at  the  top  of  his  speed.  As  is  gen 
erally'  the  case  with  the  vigorous  border-men,  he  could 
outrun  any  single  Indian  among  his  pursuers,  who  were 
principally  formidable  to  him  on  account  of  their  num 
bers,  and  the  advantages  they  possessed  in  position;  and 
he  would  not  have  hesitated  to  break  off,  in  a  straight 
line,  at  any  spot,  could  he  have  got  the  whole  band  again 
fairly  behind  him.  But  no  such  chance  did,  or  indeed 
could  now  offer;  and  when  he  found  that  he  was  descend 
ing  towards  the  glen,  by  the  melting  away  of  the 
ridge,  he  turned  short,  at  right  angles  to  his  previous 
course,  and  went  down  the  declivity  with  tremendous 
velocity,  holding  his  way  towards  the  shore.  Some  of  his 
pursuers  came  panting  up  the  hill,  in  direct  chase,  while 
most  still  kept  on,  in  the  ravine,  intending  to  head  him 
at  its  termination.  Deerslayer  had  now  a  different,  though 
a  desperate,  project  in  view.  Abandoning  all  thoughts  of 
escape  by  the  woods,  he  made  the  best  of  his  way  towards 
the  canoe.  He  knew  where  it  lay:  could  it  be  reached, 
he  had  only  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  a  few  rifles,  and  suc 
cess  would  be  certain.  None  of  the  warriors  had  kept 


THE   DEERSLAYER  491 

their  weapons,  which  would  have  retarded  their  speed, 
and  the  risk  would  come  either  from  the  uncertain  hands 
of  the  women,  or  from  those  of  some  well-grown  boy; 
though  most  of  the  latter  were  already  out  in  hot  pursuit. 
Everything  seemed  propitious  to  the  execution  of  this 
plan,  and  the  course  being  a  continued  descent,  the  young 
man  went  over  the  ground  at  a  rate  that  promised  a 
speedy  termination  to  his  toil. 

As  Deerslayer  approached  the  point,  several  women  and 
children  were  passed,  but,  though  the  former  endeavored 
to  cast  dried  branches  between  his  legs,  the  terror  in 
spired  by  his  bold  retaliation  on  the  redoubted  Panther 
was  so  great,  that  none  dared  come  near  enough  seriously 
to  molest  him.  He  went  by  all  triumphantly,  and  reached 
the  fringe  of  bushes.  Plunging  through  these,  our  hero 
found  himself  once  more  in  the  lake  and  within  fifty  feet 
of  the  canoe.  Here  he  ceased  to  run,  for  he  well  under 
stood  that  his  breath  was  now  all-important  to  him.  He 
even  stooped,  as  he  advanced,  and  cooled  his  parched 
mouth,  by  scooping  up  water  in  his  hand  to  drink.  Still 
the  moments  pressed,  and  he  soon  stood  at  the  side  of  the 
canoe.  The  first  glance  told  him  that  the  paddles  had 
been  removed !  This  was  a  sore  disappointment  after  all 
his  efforts,  and,  for  a  single  moment,  he  thought  of  turn 
ing  and  of  facing  his  foes  by  walking  with  dignity  into 
the  center  of  the  camp  again.  But  an  infernal  yell,  such 
as  the  American  savage  alone  can  raise,  proclaimed  the 
quick  approach  of  the  nearest  of  his  pursuers,  and  the  in 
stinct  of  life  triumphed.  Preparing  himself  duly,  and 
giving  a  right  direction  to  its  bows,  he  ran  off  into  the 
water  bearing  the  canoe  before  him,  threw  all  his  strength 
and  skill  into  a  last  effort,  and  cast  himself  forward  so  as 
to  fall  into  the  bottom  of  the  light  craft,  without  materi 
ally  impeding  its  way.  Here  he  remained  on  his  back, 
both  to  regain  his  breath  and  to  cover  his  person  from  the 
deadly  rifle.  The  lightness,  which  was  such  an  advantage 
in  paddling  the  canoe,  now  operated  unfavorably.  The 
material  was  so  like  a  feather  that  the  boat  had  no  mo 
mentum;  else  would  the  impulse  in  that  smooth  and  placid 
sheet  have  impelled  it  to  a  distance  from  the  shore  that 
would  have  rendered  paddling  with  the  hands  safe.  Could 


492  THE   DEERSLAYER 

such  a  point  once  be  reached,  Deerslayer  thought  he 
might  get  far  enough  out  to  attract  the  attention  of  Chin- 
gachgook  and  Judith,  who  would  not  fail  to  come  to  his 
relief  with  other  canoes,  a  circumstance  that  promised 
everything.  As  the  young  man  lay  in  the  bottom  of  the 
canoe  he  watched  its  movements,  by  studying  the  tops  of 
the  trees  on  the  mountain-side,  and  judged  of  his  distance 
by  the  time  and  the  motion.  Voices  on  the  shore  were 
now  numerous,  and  he  heard  something  said  about  man 
ning  the  raft,  which  fortunately  for  the  fugitive  lay  at  a 
considerable  distance  on  the  other  side  of  the  point. 

Perhaps  the  situation  of  Deerslayer  had  not  been  more 
critical  that  day  than  it  was  at  this  moment.  It  certainly 
had  not  been  one  half  as  tantalizing.  He  lay  perfectly 
quiet  for  two  or  three  minutes,  trusting  to  the  single 
sense  of  hearing,  confident  that  the  noise  on  the  lake 
would  reach  his  ears,  did  any  one  venture  to  approach  by 
swimming.  Once  or  twice  he  fancied  that  the  element 
was  stirred  by  the  cautious  movement  of  an  arm,  and 
then  he  perceived  it  was  the  wash  of  the  water  on  the 
pebbles  of  the  strand;  for  in  mimicry  of  the  ocean,  it  is 
seldom  that  those  little  lakes  are  so  totally  tranquil,  as 
not  to  possess  a  slight  heaving  and  setting  on  their  shores. 
Suddenly  all  the  voices  ceased,  and  a  death-like  stillness 
pervaded  the  spot;  a  quietness  as  profound  as  if  all  lay  in 
the  repose  of  inanimate  life.  By  this  time  the  canoe 
had  drifted  so  far  as  to  render  nothing  visible  to  Deer- 
slayer,  as  he  lay  on  his  back,  except  the  blue  void  of  space 
and  a  few  of  those  brighter  rays  that  proceed  from  the 
effulgence  of  the  sun,  marking  his  proximity.  It  was  not 
possible  to  endure  this  uncertainty  long.  The  young  man 
well  knew  that  the  profound  stillness  foreboded  evil,  the 
savages  never  being  so  silent  as  when  about  to  strike  a 
blow;  resembling  the  stealthy  foot  of  the  panther  ere  he 
takes  his  leap.  He  took  out  a  knife,  and  was  about  to 
cut  a  hole  through  the  bark  in  order  to  get  a  view  of  the 
shore,  when  he  paused  from  a  dread  of  being  seen  in  the 
operation,  which  would  direct  the  enemy  where  to  aim 
their  bullets.  At  this  instant  a  rifle  was  fired,  and  the 
ball  pierced  both  sides  of  the  canoe,  within  eighteen 
inches  of  the  spot  where  his  head  lay.  This  was  close 


THE   DEERSLAYER  493 

work,  but  our  hero  had  too  lately  gone  through  that  which 
was  closer  to  be  appalled.  He  lay  still  half  a  minute 
longer,  and  then  he  saw  the  summit  of  an  oak  coming 
slowly  within  his  narrow  horizon. 

Unable  to  account  for  this  change,  Deerslayer  could 
restrain  his  impatience  no  longer.  Hitching  his  body 
along,  with  the  utmost  caution,  he  got  his  eye  at  the 
bullet-hole,  and  fortunately  commanded  a  very  tolerable 
view  of  the  point.  The  canoe,  by  one  of  those  impercep 
tible  impulses  that  so  often  decide  the  fate  of  men,  as 
well  as  the  course  of  things,  had  inclined  southerly,  and 
was  slowly  drifting  down  the  lake.  It  was  lucky  that 
Deerslayer  had  given  it  a  shove  sufficiently  vigorous  to 
send  it  past  the  end  of  the  point  ere  it  took  this  inclina 
tion,  or  it  must  have  gone  ashore  again.  As  it  was,  it 
drifted  so  near  it  as  to  bring  the  tops  of  two  or  three  trees 
within  the  range  of  the  young  man's  view,  as  has  been 
mentioned,  and,  indeed,  to  come  in  quite  as  close  prox 
imity  with  the  extremity  of  the  point  as  was  at  all  safe. 
The  distance  could  not  much  have  exceeded  a  hundred 
feet,  though  fortunately  a  light  current  of  air  from  the 
southwest  began  to  set  in  slowly  off  shore. 

Deerslayer  now  felt  the  urgent  necessity  of  resorting  to 
some  expedient  to  get  further  from  his  foes,  and,  if  pos 
sible,  to  apprise  his  friends  of  his  situation.  The  distance 
rendered  the  last  difficult,  while  the  proximity  to  the 
point  rendered  the  first  indispensable.  As  was  usual  in 
such  craft,  a  large,  round,  smooth  stone  was  in  each  end 
of  the  canoe,  for  the  double  purpose  of  seats  and  ballast; 
one  of  these  was  within  reach  of  his  feet.  The  stone  he 
contrived  to  get  so  far  between  his  legs  as  to  reach  it 
with  his  hands,  and  then  he  managed  to  roll  it  to  the 
side  of  its  fellow  in  the  bow,  where  the  two  served  to 
keep  the  trim  of  the  light  boat,  while  he  worked  his  own 
body  as  far  aft  as  possible.  Before  quitting  the  shore, 
and  as  soon  as  he  perceived  that  the  paddles  were  gone, 
Deerslayer  had  thrown  a  bit  of  dead  branch  into  the 
canoe,  and  this  was  within  reach  of  his  arm.  Removing 
the  cap  he  wore,  he  put  it  on  the  end  of  this  stick,  just 
let  it  appear  over  the  edge  of  the  canoe,  as  far  as  possible 
from  his  own  person.  This  ruse  was  scarcely  adopted 


494  THE   DEERSLAYER 

before  the  young  man  had  proof  how  much  he  had  under 
rated  the  intelligence  of  his  enemies.  In  contempt  of  an 
artifice  so  shallow  and  commonplace,  a  bullet  was  fired 
directly  through  another  part  of  the  canoe,  which  actually 
razed  his  skin.  lie  dropped  the  cap,  and  instantly  raised 
it  immediately  over  his  head,  as  a  safeguard.  It  would 
seem  that  this  second  artifice  was  unseen,  or  what  was 
more  probable,  the  Hurons,  feeling  certain  of  recovering 
their  captive,  wished  to  take  him  alive. 

Deerslayer  lay  passive  a  few  minutes  longer,  his  eye  at 
the  bullet-hole,  however,  and  much  did  he  rejoice  at  see 
ing  that  he  was  drifting  gradually  further  and  further 
from  the  shore.  When  he  looked  upwards,  the  tree  tops 
had  disappeared,  but  he  soon  found  that  the  canoe  was 
slowly  turning,  so  as  to  prevent  his  getting  a  view  of 
anything  at  his  peep-hole,  but  of  the  two  extremities  of 
the  lake.  He  now  bethought  him  of  the  stick,  which 
was  crooked,  and  offered  some  facilities  for  rowing,  with 
out  the  necessity  of  rising.  The  experiment  succeeded,  on 
trial,  better  even  than  he  had  hoped,  though  his  great 
embarrassment  was  to  keep  the  canoe  straight.  That  his 
present  manoeuver  was  seen  soon  became  apparent  by  the 
clamor  on  the  shore,  and  a  bullet  entering  the  stern  of 
the  canoe,  traversed  its  length,  whistling  between  the 
arms  of  our  hero,  and  passed  out  at  the  head.  This  sat 
isfied  the  fugitive  that  he  was  getting  away  with  toler 
able  speed,  and  induced  him  to  increase  his  efforts.  He 
was  making  a  stronger  push  than  common,  when  another 
messenger  from  the  point  broke  the  stick  out-board,  and 
at  once  deprived  him  of  his  oar.  As  the  sound  of  voices 
seemed  to  grow  more  and  more  distant,  however,  Deer- 
slayer  determined  to  leave  all  to  the  drift,  until  he 
believed  himself  beyond  the  reach  of  bullets.  This  was 
nervous  work,  but  it  was  the  wisest  of  all  the  expedients 
that  offered;  and  the  young  man  was  encouraged  to  per 
severe  in  it,  by  the  circumstance  that  he  felt  his  face 
fanned  by  the  air,  a  proof  that  there  was  a  little  more 
wind. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

Nor  widows'  tears,  nor  tender  orphans*  cries 

Can  stop  th"  invaders'  force; 
Nor  swelling:  seas,  nor  threatening  skies 

Prevent  the  pirate's  course; 
Their  lives  to  selfish  ends  discreed, 
Through  blood  and  rapine  they  proceed; 
No  anxious  thoughts  of  ill-repute, 
Suspend  the  impetuous  and  unjust  pursuit; 
But  power  and  wealth  obtained,  guilty  and  great. 
Their  fellow-creatures'  fears  they  raise,  or  urge  their  hate." 

— CONGEEVE. 

BY  this  time,  Deerslayer  had  been  twenty  minutes  in 
the  canoe,  and  he  began  to  grow  a  little  impatient  for 
some  signs  of  relief  from  his  friends.  The  position  of 
the  boat  still  prevented  his  seeing  in  any  direction,  unless 
it  were  up  or  down  the  lake;  and,  though  he  knew  that 
his  line  of  sight  must  pass  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
castle,  it,  in  fact,  passed  that  distance  to  the  westward  of 
the  buildings.  The  profound  stillness  troubled  him  also, 
for  he  knew  not  whether  to  ascribe  it  to  the  increasing 
space  between  him  and  the  Indians,  or  to  some  new  arti 
fice.  At  length,  wearied  with  fruitless  watchfulness,  the 
young  man  turned  himself  on  his  back,  closed  his  eyes, 
and  awaited  the  result  in  determined  acquiescence.  If 
the  savages  could  so  completely  control  their  thirst  for 
revenge,  he  was  resolved  to  be  as  calm  as  themselves,  and 
to  trust  his  fate  to  the  interposition  of  the  currents  and 
air. 

Some  additional  ten  minutes  may  have  passed  in  this 
quiescent  manner,  on  both  sides,  when  Deerslayer  thought 
he  heard  a  slight  noise,  like  a  low  rubbing  against  the 
bottom  of  his  canoe.  He  opened  his  eyes  of  course,  in 
expectation  of  seeing  the  face  or  arm  of  an  Indian  rising 
from  the  water,  and  found  that  a  canopy  of  leaves  was 
impending  directly  over  his  head.  Starting  to  his  feet, 
the  first  object  that  met  his  eye  was  Rivenoak,  who  had 
so  far  aided  the  slow  progress  of  the  boat  as  to  draw  it 
on  the  point,  the  grating  on  the  strand  being  the  sound 

495 


496  THE   DEERSLAYER 

that  had  first  given  our  hero  the  alarm.  The  change  in 
the  drift  of  the  canoe  had  been  altogether  owing  to  the 
baffling  nature  of  the  light  currents  of  air,  aided  by  some 
eddies  in  the  water. 

"Come,"  said  the  Huron,  with  a  quiet  gesture  of  au 
thority  to  order  his  prisoner  to  land;  "my  young  friend 
has  sailed  about  till  he  is  tired;  he  will  forget  how  to  run 
again,  unless  he  uses  his  legs." 

"You've  the  best  of  it,  Huron,"  returned  Deerslayer, 
stepping  steadily  from  the  canoe,  and  passively  following 
his  leader  to  the  open  area  of  the  point;  "Providence  has 
helped  you  in  an  onexpected  manner.  I'm  your  prisoner 
ag'in,  and  I  hope  you'll  allow  that  I'm  as  good  at  break 
ing  jail  as  I  am  at  keeping  furloughs." 

"My  young  friend  is  a  moose!"  exclaimed  the  Huron. 
"His  legs  are  very  long;1  they  have  given  my  young  men 
trouble.  But  he  is  not  a  fish;  he  cannot  find  his  way  in 
the  lake.  We  did  not  shoot  him;  fish  are  taken  in  nets, 
and  not  killed  by  bullets.  When  he  turns  moose  again  he 
will  be  treated  like  a  moose." 

"Ay,  have  your  talk,  Rivenoak;  make  the  most  of  your 
advantage.  'Tis  your  right,  I  suppose,  and  I  know  it  is 
your  gift.  On  that  p'int  there'll  be  no  words  atweenus; 
for  all  men  must  and  ought  to  follow  their  gifts.  Hows' - 
ever,  when  your  women  begin  to  ta'nt  and  abuse  me,  as  I 
suppose  will  soon  happen,  let  'em  remember  that  if  a 
pale  face  struggles  for  life  so  long  as  it's  lawful  and 
manful,  he  knows  how  to  loosen  his  hold  on  it,  decently, 
when  he  feels  that  the  time  has  come.  I'm  your  captyve; 
work  your  will  on  me." 

"My  brother  has  had  a  long  run  on  the  hills,  and  a 
pleasant  sail  on  the  water,"  returned  Rivenoak,  more 
mildly,  smiling,  at  the  same  time,  in  a  way  that  his  lis 
tener  knew  denoted  pacific  intentions.  "He  has  seen  the 
woods,  he  has  seen  the  water;  which  does  he  like  best? 


J"These  calves  were  found  unprofitable,  giving-  but  little  milk,  and  being  with 
difficulty  restrained  by  fences.  They  always  inclined  to  browse  upon  the  trees 
and  shrubs,  rather  than  to  feed  upon  the  grass.  The  legs  of  the  moose  are  so  long1 
that  without  spreading  their  feet  wide  asunder,  they  cannot  bring  their  mouths 
to  the  ground,  and  evidently  they  are  not  destined  by  nature  to  pasture  on  the 
grass.  They  travel  with  great  rapidity,  their  swiftest  gait  being  a  long  trot." — 
Letter  of  Judge  Cooper,  1805—6. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  497 

Perhaps  he  has  seen  enough  to  change  his  mind  and  make 
him  hear  reason." 

"Speak  out,  Huron.  Something  is  in  your  thoughts, 
and  the  sooner  it  is  said,  the  sooner  you' 11  get  my  answer." 

"That  is  straight.  There  is  no  turning  in  the  talk  of 
my  pale-face  friend,  though  he  is  a  fox  in  running.  I 
will  speak  to  him;  his  ears  are  now  open  wider  than  be 
fore,  and  his  eyes  are  not  shut.  The  Sumach  is  poorer 
than  ever.  Once  she  had  a  brother  and  a  husband.  She 
had  children  too.  The  time  came,  and  the  husband 
started  for  the  happy  hunting-grounds,  without  saying 
farewell;  he  left  her  alone  with  his  children.  This  he 
could  not  help,  or  he  would  not  have  done  it;  Le  Loup 
Cervier  was  a  good  husband.  It  was  pleasant  to  see  the 
venison,  and  wild  ducks,  and  geese,  and  bears'  meat,  that 
hung  in  his  lodge,  in  winter.  It  is  now  gone;  it  will  not 
keep  in  warm  weather.  Who  shall  bring  it  back  again? 
Some  thought  the  brother  would  not  forget  his  sister,  and 
that,  next  winter,  he  would  see  that  the  lodge  should  not 
be  empty.  We  thought  this;  but  the  Panther  yelled,  and 
followed  the  husband  on  the  path  of  death.  They  are  now 
trying  which  shall  first  reach  the  happy  hunting-grounds. 
Some  think  the  Lynx  can  run  fastest,  and  some  think  the 
Panther  can  jump  the  furthest.  The  Sumach  thinks  both 
will  travel  so  fast  and  so  far,  that  neither  will  ever  come 
back.  Who  shall  feed  her  and  her  young?  The  man  who 
told  her  husband  and  her  brother  to  quit  her  lodge,  that 
there  might  be  room  for  him  to  come  into  it.  He  is  a 
great  hunter,  and  we  know  that  the  woman  will  never 
want." 

"Ay,  Huron,  this  is  soon  settled,  accordin'  to  your 
notions;  but  it  goes  sorely  ag'in  the  grain  of  a  white 
man's  feelin's.  I've  heard  of  men  saving  their  lives 
this-away,  and  I've  know'd  them  that  would  prefer  death 
to  such  a  sort  of  captivity.  For  my  part,  I  do  not  seek 
my  end;  nor  do  I  seek  matrimony." 

"The  pale  face  will  think  of  this  while  my  people  get 
ready  for  the  council.  He  will  be  told  what  will  happen. 
Let  him  remember  how  hard  it  is  to  lose  a  husband  and  a 
brother.  Go;  when  we  want  him,  the  name  of  Deerslayer 
will  be  called." 
32 


498  THE   DEERSLAYER 


This  conversation  had  been  held  with  no  one  near  but 
the  speakers.  Of  all  the  band  that  had  so  lately  thronged 
the  place,  Rivenoak  alone  was  visible.  The  rest  seemed 
to  have  totally  abandoned  the  spot.  Even  the  furniture, 
clothes,  arms,  and  other  property  of  the  camp  had  entirely 
disappeared,  and  the  place  bore  no  other  proofs  of  the 
crowd  that  had  so  lately  occupied  it  than  the  traces  of 
their  fires  and  resting-places,  and  the  trodden  earth,  that 
still  showed  the  marks  of  their  feet.  So  sudden  and 
unexpected  a  change  caused  Deerslayer  a  good  deal  of 
surprise  and  some  uneasiness,  for  he  had  never  known 
it  to  occur,  in  the  course  of  his  experience  among  the 
Delawares.  He  suspected,  however,  and  rightly,  that  a 
change  of  encampment  was  intended,  and  that  the  mys 
tery  of  the  movement  was  resorted  to  in  order  to  work  on 
his  apprehensions. 

Rivenoak  walked  up  the  vista  of  trees,  as  soon  as  he 
ceased  speaking,  leaving  Deerslayer  by  himself.  The 
chief  disappeared  behind  the  covers  of  the  forest,  and 
one  unpractised  in  such  scenes  might  have  believed  the 
prisoner  left  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  judgment.  But 
the  young  man,  while  he  felt  a  little  amazement  at  the 
dramatic  aspect  of  things,  knew  his  enemies  too  well  to 
fancy  himself  at  liberty,  or  a  free  agent.  Still,  he  was 
ignorant  how  far  the  Hurons  meant  to  carry  their  arti 
fices,  and  he  determined  to  bring  the  question,  as  soon  as 
practicable,  to  the  proof.  Affecting  an  indifference  he 
was  far  from  feeling,  he  strolled  about  the  area,  gradu 
ally  getting  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  spot  where  he  had 
landed,  when  he  suddenly  quickened  his  pace,  though 
carefully  avoiding  all  appearance  of  flight,  and  pushing 
aside  the  bushes,  he  stepped  upon  the  beach.  The  canoe 
was  gone,  nor  could  he  see  any  traces  of  it,  after  walking 
to  the  northern  and  southern  verges  of  the  point,  and 
examining  the  shores  in  both  directions.  It  was  evidently 
removed  beyond  his  reach  and  knowledge,  and  under  cir 
cumstances  to  show  that  such  had  been  the  intention  of 
the  savages. 

Deerslayer  now  better  understood  his  actual  situation. 
He  was  a  prisoner  on  the  narrow  tongue  of  land,  vigi 
lantly  watched  beyond  a  question,  and  with  no  other 


THE   DEERSLAYER  499 

means  of  escape  than  that  of  swimming.  He  again 
thought  of  this  last  expedient,  but  the  certainty  that  the 
canoe  would  be  sent  in  chase,  and  the  desperate  nature  of 
the  chances  of  success,  deterred  him  from  the  undertak 
ing.  While  on  the  strand,  he  came  to  a  spot  where  the 
bushes  had  been  cut,  and  thrown  into  a  small  pile.  Re 
moving  a  few  of  the  upper  branches,  he  found  beneath 
them  the  dead  body  of  the  Panther.  He  knew  that  it 
was  kept  until  the  savages  might  find  a  place  to  inter  it, 
when  it  would  be  beyond  the  reach  of  the  seal  ping-knife. 
He  gazed  wistfully  towards  the  castle,  but  there  all 
seemed  to  be  silent  and  desolate;  and  a  feeling  of  loneli 
ness  and  desertion  came  over  him  to  increase  the  gloom  of 
the  moment. 

"God's  will  be  done!"  murmured  the  young  man,  as 
he  walked  sorrowfully  away  from  the  beach,  entering 
again  beneath  the  arches  of  the  wood;  "God's  will  be 
done  on  'arth  as  it  is  in  heaven!  I  did  hope  that  my  days 
would  not  be  numbered  so  soon!  but  it  matters  little, 
a'ter  all.  A  few  more  winters,  and  a  few  more  summers, 
and  'twould  have  been  over  accordin'  to  natur'.  Ah's  me! 
the  young  and  actyve  seldom  think  death  possible,  till  he 
grins  in  their  faces  and  tells  'em  the  hour  is  come!" 

While  this  soliloquy  was  being  pronounced,  the  hunter 
advanced  into  the  area,  where,  to  his  surprise,  he  saw 
Hetty  alone,  evidently  awaiting  his  return.  The  girl 
carried  the  Bible  under  her  arm  and  her  face,  over  which 
a  shadow  of  gentle  melancholy  was  usually  thrown,  now 
seemed  sad  and  downcast.  Moving  nearer,  Deerslayer 
spoke. 

"Poor  Hetty,"  he  said,  "times  have  been  so  trouble 
some  of  late  that  I'd  altogether  forgotten  you;  we  meet, 
as  it  might  be,  to  mourn  over  what  is  to  happen.  I 
wonder  what  has  become  of  Chingachgook  and  Wah!" 

"Why  did  you  kill  the  Huron,  Deerslayer?"  returned 
the  girl  reproachfully.  "Don't  you  know  your  command 
ments,  which  say,  'Thou  shalt  not  kill'?  They  tell  me 
you  have  now  slain  the  woman's  husband  and  brother." 

"It's  true,  my  good  Hetty,  'tis  gospel  truth,  and  I'll 
not  deny  what  has  come  to  pass.  But,  you  must  remem 
ber,  gal,  that  many  things  are  lawful  in  war  which  would 


500  THE   DEERSLAYER 

be  onlawful  in  peace.  The  husband  was  shot  in 
fight;  or  open  so  far  as  I  was  consarned,  while  he  had  a 
better  cover  than  common;  and  the  brother  brought  his 
end  on  himself,  by  casting  his  tomahawk  at  an  unarmed 
prisoner.  Did  you  witness  that  deed,  gal?" 

"I  saw  it,  and  was  sorry  it  happened,  Deerslayer;  for  I 
hoped  you  wouldn't  have  returned  blow  for  blow,  but 
good  for  evil." 

"Ah,  Hetty,  that  may  do  among  the  missionaries,  but 
'twould  make  an  onsartain  life  in  the  woods.  The  Panther 
craved  my  blood,  and  he  was  foolish  enough  to  throw  arms 
into  my  hands  at  the  very  moment  he  was  striving  a'ter 
it.  'Twould  have  been  a'gin  natur'  not  to  raise  a  hand 
in  such  a  trial,  and  'twould  have  done  discredit  to  my 
training  and  gifts.  No,  no;  I'm  as  willing  to  give  every 
man  his  own,  as  another;  and  so  I  hope  you'll  testify  to 
them  that  will  be  likely  to  question  you  as  to  what  you've 
seen  this  day." 

"Deerslayer,  do  you  mean  to  marry  Sumach,  now  she 
has  neither  husband  nor  brother  to  feed  her?" 

"Are  such  your  idees  of  matrimony,  Hetty?  Ought  the 
young  to  wive  with  the  old — the  pale  face  with  the  red 
skin — the  Christian  with  the  heathen?  It's  ag'in  rea 
son  and  natur',  and  so  you'll  see  if  you'll  think  of  it  a 
moment." 

"I've  already  heard  mother  say,"  returned  Hetty, 
averting  her  face,  more  from  a  feminine  instinct  than 
from  any  consciousness  of  wrong,  "that  people  should 
never  marry  until  they  loved  each  other  better  than 
brothers  and  sisters;  and  I  suppose  that  is  what  you 
mean.  Sumach  is  old,  and  you  are  young." 

"Ay,  and  she's  red,  and  I'm  white.  Besides,  Hetty, 
suppose  you  was  a  wife,  now,  having  married  some  young 
man  of  your  own  years,  and  state,  and  color — Hurry 
Harry,  for  instance," — Deerslayer  selected  this  example, 
simply  from  the  circumstance  that  he  was  the  only  young 
man  known  to  both, — "and  that  he  had  fallen  on  a  war 
path,  would  you  wish  to  take  to  your  bosom,  for  a  hus 
band,  the  man  that  slew  him?" 

"Oh!  no,  no,  no,"  returned  the  girl,  shuddering.  "That 
would  be  wicked,  as  well  as  heartless!  No  Christian  girl 


THE   DEERSLAYER  501 

could  or  would  do  that.  I  never  shall  be  the  wife  of 
Hurry,  I  know;  but  were  he  my  husband,  no  man  should 
ever  be  it  again  after  his  death." 

"I  thought  it  would  get  to  this,  Hetty,  when  you  come 
to  understand  sarcumstances.  "Pis  a  moral  impossibility 
that  I  should  ever  marry  Sumach;  and  though  Injin  wed- 
din's  have  no  priests,  and  not  much  religion,  a  white 
man  who  knows  his  gifts  and  duties  can't  profit  by  that 
and  so  make  his  escape  at  the  fitting  time.  I  do  think 
death  would  be  more  nat'ral  like,  and  welcome,  than 
wedlock  with  this  woman." 

"Don't  say  it  too  loud,"  interrupted  Hetty,  impatiently; 
"I  suppose  she  will  not  like  to  hear  it.  I'm  sure  Hurry 
would  rather  marry  even  me  than  suffer  torments,  though 
I  am  feeble-minded;  and  I  am  sure  it  would  kill  me  to 
think  he'd  prefer  death  to  being  my  husband." 

"Ay,  gal;  you  ain't  Sumach,  but  a  comely  young 
Christian,  with  a  good  heart,  pleasant  smile,  and  kind 
eye.  Hurry  might  be  proud  to  get  you,  and  that,  too, 
not  in  misery  and  sorrow,  but  in  his  best  and  happiest 
days.  Hows'ever,  take  my  advice,  and  never  talk  to  Hurry 
about  these  things;  he's  only  a  borderer,  at  the  least." 

"I  wouldn't  tell  him  for  the  world!"  exclaimed  the 
girl,  looking  about  her,  like  one  affrighted,  and  blushing, 
she  knew  not  why.  "Mother  always  said  young  women 
shouldn't  be  forward,  and  speak  their  minds  before 
they're  asked.  Oh!  I  never  forget  what  mother  told  me. 
'Tis  a  pity  Hurry  is  so  handsome,  Deerslayer;  I  do  think 
fewer  girls  would  like  him  then,  and  he  would  sooner 
know  his  own  mind." 

"Poor  gal,  poor  gal,  it's  plain  enough  how  it  is;  but 
the  Lord  will  bear  in  mind  one  of  your  simple  heart  and 
kind  feelin's!  We'll  talk  no  more  of  these  things;  if  you 
had  reason,  you'd  be  sorrowful  at  having  let  others  so 
much  into  your  secret.  Tell  me,  Hetty,  what  has  become 
of  all  the  Hurons,  and  why  they  let  you  roam  about  the 
p'int,  as  if  you,  too,  was  a  prisoner?" 

"I'm  no  prisoner,  Deerslayer,  but  a  free  girl,  and  go 
when  and  where  I  please.  Nobody  dare  hurt  me!  If 
they  did,  God  would  be  angry — as  I  can  show  them  in  the 
Bible.  No — no — Hetty  Hutter  is  not  afraid;  she's  in 


502  THE   DEERSLAYER 

good  hands.  The  Hurons  are  up  yonder  in  the  woods, 
and  keep  a  good  watch  on  us  both.  I'll  answer  for  it, 
since  all  the  women  and  children  are  on  the  lookout. 
Some  are  burying  the  body  of  the  poor  girl  who  was  shot, 
so  that  the  enemy  and  the  wild  beasts  can't  find  it.  I 
told  'em  that  father  and  mother  lay  in  the  lake,  but  I 
wouldn't  let  them  know  in  what  part  of  it,  for  Judith 
and  I  don't  want  any  of  their  heathenish  company  in  our 
bury  ing-ground. " 

"Ah's  me!  Well,  it  is  an  awful  dispatch  to  be  stand 
ing  here,  alive  and  angry,  and  with  the  feelin's  up  and 
furious,  one  hour,  and  then  to  be  carried  away  at  the 
next,  and  put  out  of  sight  of  mankind  in  a  hole  in  the 
'arth.  No  one  knows  what  will  happen  to  him  on  a  war 
path,  that's  sartain." 

Here  the  stirring  of  leaves  and  the  cracking  of  dried 
twigs  interrupted  the  discourse,  and  apprised  Deerslayer 
of  the  approach  of  his  enemies.  The  Hurons  closed  around 
the  spot  that  had  been  prepared  for  the  coming  scene,  in 
a  circle — the  armed  men  being  so  distributed  among  the 
feebler  members  of  the  band,  that  there  was  no  safe  open 
ing  through  which  the  prisoner  could  break.  But  the 
latter  no  longer  contemplated  flight;  the  recent  trial  hav 
ing  satisfied  him  of  his  inability  to  escape,  when  pursued 
so  closely  by  numbers.  On  the  contrary,  all  his  energies 
were  aroused,  in  order  to  meet  his  expected  fate  with  a 
calmness  that  should  do  credit  to  his  color  and  his  man 
hood;  one  equally  removed  from  recreant  alarm  and 
savage  boasting. 

When  Rivenoak  reappeared  in  the  circle,  he  occupied 
his  old  place  at  the  head  of  the  area.  Several  of  the  elder 
warriors  stood  near  him;  but,  now  that  the  brother  of 
Sumach  had  fallen,  there  was  no  longer  any  recognized 
chief  present,  whose  influence  and  authority  offered  a 
dangerous  rivalry  to  his  own.  Nevertheless,  it  is  well 
known  that  little  which  could  be  called  monarchical  or 
despotic  entered  into  the  politics  of  the  North  American 
tribes,  although  the  first  colonists,  bringing  with  them  to 
this  hemisphere  the  notions  and  opinions  of  their  own 
countries,  often  dignified  the  chief  men  of  those  primi 
tive  nations  with  the  titles  of  kings  and  princes.  He- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  503 

reditary  influence  did  certainly  exist;  but  there  is  much 
reason  to  believe  it  existed  rather  as  a  consequence  of 
hereditary  merit  and  acquired  qualifications,  than  as  a 
birthright.  Rivenoak,  however,  had  not  even  this  claim 
— having  risen  to  consideration  purely  by  the  force  of 
talents,  sagacity,  and,  as  Bacon  expresses  it,  in  relation 
to  all  distinguished  statesmen,  "by  a  union  of  great  and 
mean  qualities;"  a  truth  of  which  the  career  of  the  pro 
found  Englishman  himself  furnishes  so  apt  an  illustration. 

Next  to  arms,  eloquence  offers  the  great  avenue  to 
popular  favor,  whether  it  be  in  civilized  or  savage  life;  and 
Rivenoak  had  succeeded,  as  so  many  have  succeeded  before 
him,  quite  as  much  by  rendering  fallacies  acceptable  to  his 
listeners,  as  by  any  profound  or  learned  expositions  of 
truth,  or  the  accuracy  of  his  logic.  Nevertheless,  he  had 
influence;  and  was  far  from  being  altogether  without  just 
claims  to  its  possession.  Like  most  men  who  reason  more 
than  they  feel,  the  Huron  was  not  addicted  to  the  indul 
gence  of  the  more  ferocious  passions  of  his  people;  he  had 
been  commonly  found  on  the  side  of  mercy,  in  all  the 
scenes  of  vindictive  torture  and  revenge  that  had  occurred 
in  his  tribe,  since  his  own  attainment  to  power.  On  the 
the  present  occasion,  he  was  reluctant  to  proceed  to  ex 
tremities,  although  the  provocation  was  so  great;  still  it 
exceeded  his  ingenuity  to  see  how  that  alternative  could 
well  be  avoided.  Sumach  resented  her  rejection  more 
than  she  did  the  deaths  of  her  husband  and  brother,  and 
there  was  little  probability  that  the  woman  would  pardon 
a  man  who  had  so  unequivocally  preferred  death  to  her 
embraces.  Without  her  forgiveness,  there  was  scarce  a 
hope  that  the  tribe  could  be  induced  to  overlook  its  loss; 
and  even  to  Rivenoak  himself,  much  as  he  was  disposed  to 
pardon,  the  fate  of  our  hero  now  appeared  to  be  almost 
hopelessly  sealed. 

When  the  whole  band  was  arrayed  around  the  captive, 
a  grave  silence,  so  much  the  more  threatening  from  its 
profound  quiet,  pervaded  the  place.  Deerslayer  perceived 
that  the  women  and  boys  had  been  preparing  splinters  of 
the  fat  pine  roots,  which  he  well  knew  were  to  be  stuck 
into  his  flesh  and  set  in  flames  while  two  or  three  of  the 
young  men  held  the  thongs  of  bark  with  which  he  was  to 


504  THE   DEERSLAYER 

be  bound.  The  smoke  of  a  distant  fire  announced  that 
the  burning  brands  were  in  preparation,  and  several  of 
the  elder  warriors  passed  their  fingers  over  the  edges  of 
their  tomahawks,  as  if  to  prove  their  keenness  and  tem 
per.  Even  the  knives  seemed  loosened  in  their  sheaths, 
impatient  for  the  bloody  and  merciless  work  to  begin. 

"Killer  of  the  Deer,"  recommenced  Rivenoak,  certainly 
without  any  signs  of  sympathy  or  pity  in  his  manner, 
though  with  calmness  and  dignity,  "Killer  of  the  Deer, 
it  is  time  that  my  people  knew  their  minds.  The  sun  is 
no  longer  over  our  heads;  tired  of  waiting  on  the  Hurons, 
he  has  begun  to  fall  near  the  pines  on  this  side  of  the 
valley.  He  is  travelling  fast  towards  the  country  of  our 
French  fathers;  it  is  to  warn  his  children  that  their 
lodges  are  empty,  and  that  they  ought  to  be  at  home. 
The  roaming  wolf  has  his  den,  and  he  goes  to  it  when  he 
wishes  to  see  his  young.  The  Iroquois  are  not  poorer 
than  the  wolves.  They  have  villages,  and  wigwams,  and 
fields  of  corn;  the  good  spirits  will  be  tired  of  watching 
them  alone.  My  people  must  go  back  and  see  to  their 
own  business.  There  will  be  joy  in  the  lodges  when  they 
hear  our  whoop  from  the  forest!  It  will  be  a  sorrowful 
whoop;  when  it  is  understood,  grief  will  come  after  it. 
There  will  be  one  scalp-whoop,  but  there  will  be  only 
one.  We  have  the  fur  of  the  Muskrat;  his  body  is  among 
the  fishes.  Deerslayer  must  say  whether  another  scalp 
shall  be  on  our  pole.  Two  lodges  are  empty;  a  scalp, 
living  or  dead,  is  wanted  at  each  door." 

"Then  take  'em  dead,  Huron,"  firmly,  but  altogether 
without  dramatic  boasting,  returned  the  captive.  "My 
hour  is  come,  I  do  suppose;  and  what  must  be,  must.  If 
you  are  bent  on  the  tortur',  I'll  do  my  indivors  to  bear 
up  ag'in  it,  though  no  man  can  say  how  far  his  natur' 
will  stand  pain,  until  he's  been  tried." 

"The  pale-face  cur  begins  to  put  his  tail  between  his 
legs!"  cried  a  young  and  garrulous  savage,  who  bore  the 
appropriate  title  of  the  Corbeau  Rouge;  a  sobriquet  he 
had  gained  from  the  French,  by  his  facility  in  making 
unseasonable  noises,  and  an  undue  tendency  to  hear  his 
own  voice;  "he  is  no  warrior;  he  has  killed  the  Loup 
Cervier  when  looking  behind  him  not  to  see  the  flash  of 


THE   DEERSLAYER  505 

his  own  rifle.  He  grunts  like  a  hog,  already;  when  the 
Huron  women  begin  to  torment  him,  he  will  cry  like  the 
young  of  the  catamount.  He  is  a  Delaware  woman, 
dressed  in  the  skin  of  a  Yengeese!" 

"Have  your  say,  young  man;  have  your  say,"  returned 
Deerslayer,  unmoved;  "you  know  no  better,  and  I  can 
overlook  it.  Talking  may  aggravate  women,  but  can 
hardly  make  knives  sharper,  fire  hotter,  or  rifles  more 
sartain." 

Rivenoak  now  interfered,  reproving  the  Red  Crow  for 
his  premature  interference,  and  then  directing  the  proper 
persons  to  bind  the  captive.  This  expedient  was  adopted, 
not  from  any  apprehensions  that  he  would  escape,  or  from 
any  necessity  that  was  yet  apparent,  of  his  being  unable  to 
endure  the  torture  with  his  limbs  free,  but  from  an  in 
genious  design  of  making  him  feel  his  helplessness,  and 
of  gradually  sapping  his  resolution,  by  undermining  it, 
as  it  might  be,  little  by  little.  Deerslayer  offered  no 
resistance.  He  submitted  his  arms  and  legs,  freely  if 
not  cheerfully,  to  the  ligaments  of  bark,  which  were 
bound  around  them,  by  order  of  the  chief,  in  a  way  to 
produce  as  little  pain  as  possible.  These  directions  were 
secret,  and  given  in  a  hope  that  the  captive  would  finally 
save  himself  from  any  serious  bodily  suffering,  by  con 
senting  to  take  the  Sumach  for  a  wife.  As  soon  as  the 
body  of  Deerslayer  was  withed  in  bark  sufficiently  to 
create  a  lively  sense  of  helplessness,  he  was  literally  car 
ried  to  a  young  tree,  and  bound  against  it,  in  a  way  that 
effectually  prevented  him  from  moving,  as  well  as  from 
falling.  The  hands  were  laid  flat  against  the  legs,  and 
thongs  were  passed  over  all,  in  a  way  nearly  to  incorpo 
rate  the  prisoner  with  the  tree.  His  cap  was  then  re 
moved,  and  he  was  left  half-standing,  half -sustained  by 
his  bonds,  to  face  the  coming  scene  in  the  best  manner  he 
could. 

Previously  to  proceeding  to  anything  like  extremities, 
it  was  the  wish  of  Rivenoak  to  put  his  captive's  resolution 
to  the  proof,  by  renewing  the  attempt  at  a  compromise. 
This  could  be  effected  only  in  one  manner,  the  acquies 
cence  of  the  Sumach  being  indispensably  necessary  to  a 
compromise  of  her  right  to  be  revenged.  With  this  view, 


506  THE   DEERSLAYER 

then,  the  woman  was  next  desired  to  advance,  and  to 
look  to  her  own  interest;  no  agent  being  considered  as 
efficient  as  the  principal  herself  in  this  negotiation.  The 
Indian  females,  when  girls,  are  usually  mild  and  submis 
sive,  with  musical  tones,  pleasant  voices,  and  merry 
laughs;  but  toil  and  suffering  generally  deprive  them  of 
most  of  these  advantages  by  the  time  they  have  reached  an 
age  which  the  Sumach  had  long  before  passed.  To  render 
their  voices  harsh,  it  would  seem  to  require  active,  ma 
lignant  passions,  though,  when  excited,  their  screams  can 
rise  to  a  sufficiently  conspicuous  degree  of  discordancy  to 
assert  their  claim  to  possess  this  distinctive  peculiarity 
of  the  sex.  The  Sumach  was  not  altogether  without 
feminine  attraction,  however,  and  had  so  recently  been 
deemed  handsome  in  her  tribe  as  not  to  have  yet  learned 
the  full  influence  that  time  and  exposure  produce  on  man 
as  well  as  on  woman.  By  an  arrangement  of  Rivenoak's 
some  of  the  women  around  her  had  been  employing  the 
time  in  endeavoring  to  persuade  the  bereaved  widow  that 
there  was  still  a  hope  Deerslayer  might  be  prevailed  on 
t»  enter  her  wigwam,  in  preference  to  entering  the  world 
of  spirits,  and  this,  too,  with  a  success  that  previous 
symptoms  scarcely  justified.  All  this  was  the  result  of  a 
resolution  on  the  part  of  the  chief  to  leave  no  proper 
means  unemployed,  in  order  to  get  the  greatest  hunter 
that  was  then  thought  to  exist  in  all  that  region  trans 
ferred  to  his  own  nation,  as  well  as  a  husband  for  a 
woman  whom  he  felt  would  be  likely  to  be  troublesome, 
were  any  of  her  claims  to  the  attention  and  care  of  the 
tribe  overlooked. 

In  conformity  with  this  scheme  the  Sumach  had  been 
secretly  advised  to  advance  into  the  circle,  and  to  make 
her  appeal  to  the  prisoner's  sense  of  justice  before  the 
band  had  recourse  to  the  last  experiment.  The  woman, 
nothing  loath,  consented;  for  there  was  some  such  attrac 
tion  in  becoming  the  wife  of  a  noted  hunter,  among  the 
females  of  the  tribes,  as  is  experienced  by  the  sex  in 
more  refined  life  when  they  bestow  their  hands  on  the 
affluent.  As  the  duties  of  a  mother  were  thought  to  be 
paramount  to  all  other  considerations,  the  widow  felt  none 
of  that  embarrassment  in  preferring  her  claims,  to  which 


THE   DEERSLAYER  607 

even  a  female  fortune-hunter  among  ourselves  might  be 
liable.  When  she  stood  forth  before  the  whole  party, 
therefore,  the  children  that  she  led  by  the  hand  fully 
justified  all  she  did. 

"You  see  me  before  you,  cruel  pale  face,"  the  woman 
commenced;  "your  spirit  must  tell  you  my  errand.  I 
have  found  you;  I  cannot  find  Le  Loup  Cervier,  nor  the 
Panther;  I  have  looked  for  them  in  the  lake,  in  the  woods, 
in  the  clouds.  I  cannot  say  where  they  have  gone." 

"No  man  knows,  good  Sumach,  no  man  knows,"  inter 
posed  the  captive.  "When  the  spirit  leaves  the  body  it 
passes  into  a  world  beyond  our  knowledge,  and  the  wisest 
way  for  them  that  are  left  behind  is  to  hope  for  the  best. 
No  doubt  both  your  warriors  have  gone  to  the  happy 
hunting-grounds,  and  at  the  proper  time  you  will  see  'em 
ag'in  in  their  improved  state.  The  wife  and  sister  «f 
braves  must  have  looked  forward  to  some  such  tarmina- 
tion  of  their  'arthly  cireers. " 

"Cruel  pale  face,  what  had  my  warriors  done  that  you 
should  slay  them?  They  were  the  best  hunters  and  the 
boldest  young  men  of  their  tribe;  the  Great  Spirit  in 
tended  that  they  should  live  until  they  withered  like  tne 
branches  of  the  hemlock,  and  fell  of  their  own  weight." 

"Nay,  nay,  good  Sumach,"  interrupted  the  Deerslayer, 
whose  love  of  truth  was  too  indomitable  to  listen  to  such 
hyperbole  with  patience,  even  though  it  came  from  the 
torn  breast  of  a  widow,  "Nay,  nay,  good  Sumach,  this  is 
a  little  outdoing  red-skin  privileges.  Young  man  was 
neither,  any  more  than  you  can  be  called  a  young  woman; 
and  as  to  the  Great  Spirit's  intending  that  they  should 
fall  otherwise  than  they  did,  that's  a  grievous  mistake, 
inasmuch  as  what  the  Great  Spirit  intends  is  sartain  to  come 
to  pass.  Then,  ag'in,  it's  plain  neither  of  your  fri'ndsdid 
me  any  harm;  I  raised  my  hand  ag'in  'em  on  account  of 
what  they  were  striving  to  do,  rather  than  what  they  did. 
This  is  nat'ral  law,  'to  do,  lest  you  should  be  done  by.'  " 

"It  is  so.  Sumach  has  but  one  tongue;  she  can  tell  but 
one  story.  The  pale  face  struck  the  Hurons,  lest  the 
Hurons  should  strike  him.  The  Hurons  are  a  just  nation; 
they  will  forget  it.  The  chiefs  will  shut  their  eyes,  and 
pretend  not  to  have  seen  it.  The  young  men  will  believe 


508  THE   DEERSLAYER 

the  Panther  and  the  Lynx  have  gone  to  far-off  hunts;  and 
the  Sumach  will  take  her  children  by  the  hand,  and  go 
into  the  lodge  of  the  pale  face,  and  say,  'See!  these  are 
your  children — they  are  also  mine;  feed  us,  and  we  will 
live  with  you.'  " 

"The  tarms  are  onadmissible,  woman;  and  though  I 
feel  for  your  losses,  which  must  be  hard  to  bear,  the  tarms 
cannot  be  accepted.  As  to  givin'  you  ven'son,  in  case  we 
lived  near  enough  together,  that  would  be  no  great  ex- 
pl'ite;  but  as  for  becomin'  your  husband,  and  the  father 
of  your  children,  to  be  honest  with  you,  I  feel  no  callin' 
that-away." 

"Look  at  this  boy,  cruel  pale  face;  he  has  no  father  to 
teach  him  to  kill  the  deer,  or  to  take  scalps.  See  this 
girl;  what  young  man  will  come  to  look  for  a  wife  in  a 
lodge  that  has  no  head?  There  are  more  among  my 
people  in  the  Canadas,  and  the  Killer  of  Deer  will  find  as 
many  mouths  to  feed  as  his  heart  can  wish  for." 

"I  tell  you,  woman,"  exclaimed  Deerslayer,  whose 
imagination  was  far  from  seconding  the  appeal  of  the 
widow,  and  who  began  to  grow  restive  under  the  vivid 
pictures  she  was  drawing,  "all  this  is  nothing  to  me. 
People  and  kindred  must  take  care  of  their  own  fatherless, 
leaving  them  that  have  no  children  to  their  own  loneliness. 
As  for  me,  I  have  no  offspring,  and  I  want  no  wife.  Now, 
go  away,  Sumach;  leave  me  in  the  hands  of  your  chiefs; 
for  my  color,  and  gifts,  and  natur'  itself,  cry  out  ag'in 
the  idee  of  taking  you  for  a  wife." 

It  is  unnecessary  to  expatiate  on  the  effect  of  this 
downright  refusal  of  the  woman's  proposals.  If  there 
was  anything  like  tenderness  in  her  bosom, — and  no 
woman  was  probably  ever  entirely  without  that  feminine 
Quality, — it  all  disappeared  at  this  plain  announcement. 
Fury,  rage,  mortified  pride,  and  a  volcano  of  wrath,  burst 
out  at  one  explosion,  converting  her  into  a  sort  of 
maniac,  as  it  might  be  at  the  touch  of  a  magician's  wand. 
Without  deigning  a  reply  in  words,  she  made  the  arches 
of  the  forest  ring  with  her  screams,  and  then  flew  forward 
at  her  victim,  seizing  him  by  the  hair,  which  she  appeared 
resolute  to  draw  out  by  the  roots.  It  was  some  time  be 
fore  her  grasp  could  be  loosened.  Fortunately  for  the 


THE  DEERSLAYER  509 

prisoner,  her  rage  was  blind,  since  his  total  helplessness 
left  him  entirely  at  her  mercy;  had  it  been  better  directed 
it  might  have  proved  fatal  before  any  relief  could  have 
been  offered.  As  it  was,  she  did  succeed  in  wrenching 
out  two  or  three  handfuls  of  hair,  before  the  young  men 
could  tear  her  away  from  her  victim. 

The  insult  that  had  been  offered  to  the  Sumach  was 
deemed  an  insult  to  the  whole  tribe;  not  so  much,  how 
ever,  on  account  of  any  respect  that  was  felt  for  the 
woman,  as  on  account  of  the  honor  of  the  Huron  nation. 
Sumach,  herself,  was  generally  considered  to  be  as  acid 
as  the  berry  from  which  she  derived  her  name;  and  now 
that  her  great  supporters,  her  husband  and  brother,  were 
both  gone,  few  cared  about  concealing  their  aversion. 
Nevertheless,  it  had  become  a  point  of  honor  to  punish  the 
pale  face  who  disdained  a  Huron  woman,  and  more  par 
ticularly,  one  who  coolly  preferred  death  to  relieving  the 
tribe  from  the  support  of  a  widow  and  her  children.  The 
young  men  showed  an  impatience  to  begin  to  torture, 
that  Rivenoak  understood;  and  as  his  elder  associates 
manifested  no  disposition  to  permit  any  longer  delay,  he 
was  compelled  to  give  the  signal  for  the  infernal  work  to 
proceed. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

*"nie  ugly  bear  now  minded  not  the  stake, 
Nor  how  the  cruel  mastiffs  do  him  tear; 
Tfce  stag-  lay  still,  unroused  from  the  brake, 
llie  foamy  boar  feared  not  the  hunter's  spear; 
All  thing  was  still  in  desert,  bush,  and  briar." 

— LORDDORSEY. 

IT  was  one  of  the  common  expedients  of  the  savages,  on 
such  occasions,  to  put  the  nerves  of  their  victims  to  the 
severest  proofs.  On  the  other  hand,  it  was  a  matter  of 
Indian  pride  to  betray  no  yielding  to  terror  or  pain ;  but  for 
the  prisoner  to  provoke  his  enemies  to  such  acts  of  violence 
as  would  soonest  produce  death.  Many  a  warrior  had 
been  known  to  bring  his  own  sufferings  to  a  more  speedy 
termination  by  taunting  reproaches  and  reviling  language 
when  he  found  that  his  physical  system  was  giving  way 
under  the  agony  of  sufferings,  produced  by  a  hellish  in 
genuity,  that  might  well  eclipse  all  that  has  been  said  of 
the  infernal  devices  of  religious  persecution.  This  happy 
expedient  of  taking  refuge  from  the  ferocity  of  his  foes 
in  their  passions,  was  denied  Deerslayer,  however,  by  his 
peculiar  notions  of  the  duty  of  a  white  man;  and  he  had 
stoutly  made  up  his  mind  to  endure  everything,  in  pref 
erence  to  disgracing  his  color. 

No  sooner  did  the  young  men  understand  that  they 
were  at  liberty  to  commence,  than  some  of  the  boldest  and 
most  forward  among  them  sprang  into  the  arena,  tomahawk 
in  hand.  Here  they  prepared  to  throw  that  dangerous 
weapon,  the  object  being  to  strike  the  tree  as  near  as  pos 
sible  to  the  victim's  head,  without  absolutely  hitting  him. 
This  was  so  hazardous  an  experiment,  that  none  but  those 
who  were  known  to  be  exceedingly  expert  with  the 
weapon  were  allowed  to  enter  the  lists  at  all,  lest  an  early 
death  might  interfere  with  the  expected  entertainment. 
In  the  truest  hands,  it  was  seldom  that  the  captive  escaped 
injury  in  these  trials;  and  it  often  happened  that  death 
followed  even  when  the  blow  was  not  premeditated.  In 

510 


THE   DEERSLAYER  511 

the  particular  case  of  our  hero,  Rivenoak  and  the  older 
warriors  were  apprehensive  that  the  example  of  the 
Panther's  fate  might  prove  a  motive  with  some  fiery 
spirit,  suddenly  to  sacrifice  his  conqueror,  when  the 
temptation  of  effecting  it  in  precisely  the  same  manner, 
and  possibly  with  the  identical  weapon  with  which  the 
warrior  had  fallen,  offered.  This  circumstance,  of  itself, 
rendered  the  ordeal  of  the  tomahawk  doubly  critical  for 
the  Deerslayer. 

It  would  seem,  however,  that  all  who  now  entered  what 
we  shall  call  the  lists,  were  more  disposed  to  exhibit 
their  own  dexterity  than  to  resent  the  deaths  of  their 
comrades.  Each  prepared  himself  for  the  trial,  with  the 
feelings  of  rivalry,  rather  than  with  the  desire  for  ven 
geance;  and  for  the  first  few  minutes  the  prisoner  had 
little  more  connection  with  the  result  than  grew  out  of 
the  interest  that  necessarily  attached  itself  to  a  living 
target.  The  young  men  were  eager,  instead  of  being 
fierce,  and  Rivenoak  thought  he  still  saw  signs  of  being 
able  to  save  the  life  of  the  captive,  when  the  vanity  of 
the  young  men  had  been  gratified;  always  admitting  that 
it  was  not  sacrificed  to  the  delicate  experiments  that  were 
about  to  be  made. 

The  first  youth  who  presented  himself  for  the  trial,  was 
called  the  Raven,  having  as  yet  had  no  opportunity  of 
obtaining  a  more  warlike  sobriquet.  He  was  remarkable 
for  high  pretension  rather  than  for  skill  or  exploits,  and 
those  who  knew  his  character,  thought  the  captive  in 
imminent  danger,  when  he  took  his  stand,  and  poised  the 
tomahawk.  Nevertheless,  the  young  man  was  good- 
natured,  and  no  thought  was  uppermost  in  his  mind, 
other  than  the  desire  to  make  a  better  cast  than  any  of 
his  fellows.  Deerslayer  got  an  inkling  of  this  warrior's 
want  of  reputation,  by  the  injunctions  that  he  had  re 
ceived  from  the  seniors;  who,  indeed,  would  have  objected 
to  his  appearing  in  the  arena  at  all,  but  for  an  influence 
derived  from  his  father,  an  aged  warrior  of  great  merit, 
who  was  then  in  the  lodges  of  the  tribe.  Still,  our  hero 
maintained  an  appearance  of  self-possession.  He  had 
made  up  his  mind  that  his  hour  was  come,  and  it  would 
have  been  a  mercy,  instead  of  a  calamity,  to  fall  by  the 


512  THE   DEERSLAYER 

unsteadiness  of  the  first  hand  that  was  raised  against 
him.  After  a  suitable  number  of  flourishes  and  gesticu 
lations,  that  promised  much  more  than  he  could  perform, 
the  Raven  let  the  tomahawk  quit  his  hand.  The  weapon 
whirled  through  the  air,  with  the  usual  evolutions,  cut  a 
chip  from  the  sapling  to  which  the  prisoner  was  bound, 
within  a  few  inches  of  his  cheek,  and  stuck  in  a  large  oak 
that  grew  several  yards  behind  him.  This  was  decidedly 
a  bad  effort,  and  a  common  sneer  proclaimed  as  much,  to 
the  great  mortification  of  the  young  man.  On  the  other 
hand,  there  was  a  general,  but  suppressed  murmur  of  ad 
miration  at  the  steadiness  with  which  the  captive  stood 
the  trial.  The  head  was  the  only  part  he  could  move,  and 
this  had  been  purposely  left  free,  that  the  tormentors 
might  have  the  amusement,  and  the  tormented  endure  the 
shame,  of  dodging,  and  otherwise  attempting  to  avoid 
the  blows.  Deerslayer  disappointed  these  hopes,  by  a 
command  of  nerve  that  rendered  his  whole  body  as  im 
movable  as  the  tree  to  which  he  was  bound.  Nor  did  he 
even  adopt  the  natural  and  usual  expedient  of  shutting 
his  eyes:  the  firmest  and  oldest  warrior  of  the  red  men 
never  having  more  disdainfully  denied  himself  this  advan 
tage,  under  similar  circumstances. 

The  Raven  had  no  sooner  made  his  unsuccessful  and 
puerile  effort  than  he  was  succeeded  by  Le  Daim-Mose,  or 
the  Moose;  a  middle-aged  warrior,  who  was  particularly 
skillful  in  the  use  of  the  tomahawk,  and  from  whose 
attempt  the  spectators  confidently  looked  for  gratification. 
This  man  had  none  of  the  good-nature  of  the  Raven,  but 
he  would  gladly  have  sacrificed  the  captive  to  his  hatred 
of  the  pale  faces  generally,  were  it  not  for  the  greater 
interest  he  felt  in  his  own  success  as  one  particularly 
skillful  in  the  use  of  this  weapon.  He  took  his  stand 
quietly,  but  with  an  air  of  confidence,  poised  his  little 
axe  but  a  single  instant,  advanced  a  foot  with  a  quick 
motion,  and  threw.  Deerslayer  saw  the  keen  instrument 
whirling  towards  him,  and  believed  all  as  over;  still  he 
was  not  touched.  The  tomahawk  had  actually  bound  the 
head  of  the  captive  to  the  tree,  by  carrying  before  it 
some  of  his  hair,  having  buried  itself  deep  beneath  the 
soft  bark.  A  general  yell  expressed  the  delight  of  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  513 

spectators,  and  the  Moose  felt  his  heart  soften  a  little 
towards  the  prisoner,  whose  steadiness  of  nerve  alone 
enabled  him  to  give  this  evidence  of  his  consummate 
skill. 

Le  Daim-Mose  was  succeeded  by  the  Bounding  Boy,  or 
Le  Gar<jon  qui  Bondi,  who  came  leaping  into  the  circle, 
like  a  hound,  or  a  goat  at  play.  This  was  one  of  those 
elastic  youths  whose  muscles  seemed  always  in  motion, 
and  who  either  affected,  or  who  from  habit  was  actually 
unable  to  move  in  any  other  manner,  than  by  showing  the 
antics  just  mentioned.  Nevertheless,  he  was  both  brave 
and  skillful,  and  had  gained  the  respect  of  his  people  by 
deeds  in  war  as  well  as  success  in  the  hunts.  A  far  nobler 
name  would  long  since  have  fallen  to  his  share,  had  not  a 
Frenchman  of  rank  inadvertently  given  him  this  sobri 
quet,  which  he  religiously  preserved  as  coming  from  his 
great  father,  who  lived  beyond  the  wide  salt  lake.  The 
Bounding  Boy  skipped  about  in  front  of  the  captive, 
menacing  him  with  his  tomahawk,  now  on  one  side  and 
now  on  another,  and  then  again  in  front,  in  the  vain  hope 
of  being  able  to  extort  some  sign  of  fear,  by  this  parade 
of  danger.  At  length  Deerslayer's  patience  became  ex 
hausted  by  all  this  mummery,  and  he  spoke  for  the  first 
time  since  the  trial  had  actually  commenced. 

"Throw  away,  Huron!"  he  cried,  "or  your  tomahawk 
will  forget  its  arr'nd.  Why  do  you  keep  loping  about 
like  a  fa'an  that's  showing  its  dam  how  well  it  can  skip, 
when  you're  a  warrior  grown,  yourself,  and  a  warrior 
grown  defies  you  and  all  your  silly  antics?  Throw,  or  the 
Huron  gals  will  laugh  in  your  face." 

Although  not  intended  to  produce  such  an  effect,  the 
last  words  aroused  the  "Bounding"  warrior  to  fury.  The 
same  nervous  excitability  which  rendered  him  so  active 
in  his  person,  made  it  difficult  to  repress  his  feelings,  and 
the  words  were  scarcely  past  the  lips  of  the  speaker,  than 
the  tomahawk  left  the  hand  of  the  Indian.  Nor  was  it 
cast  without  good-will,  and  a  fierce  determination  to  slay. 
Had  the  intention  been  less  deadly,  the  danger  might 
have  been  greater.  The  aim  was  uncertain,  and  the 
weapon  glanced  near  the  cheek  of  the  captive,  slightly 
cutting  the  shoulder  in  its  evolutions.  This  was  the  first 
33 


514  THE   DEERSLAYER 

instance  in  which  any  other  object  than  that  of  terrifying 
the  prisoner,  and  of  displaying  skill,  had  been  manifested; 
and  the  Bounding  Boy  was  immediately  led  from  the 
arena,  and  was  warmly  rebuked  for  his  intemperate  haste, 
which  had  come  so  near  defeating  all  the  hopes  of  the 
band. 

To  this  irritable  person  succeeded  several  other  young 
warriors,  who  not  only  hurled  the  tomahawk  but  who  cast 
the  knife,  a  far  more  dangerous  experiment,  with  reckless 
indifference;  yet  they  always  manifested  a  skill  that  pre 
vented  any  injury  to  the  captive.  Several  times  Deer- 
slayer  was  grazed,  but  in  no  instance  did  he  receive  what 
might  be  termed  a  wound.  The  unflinching  firmness  with 
which  he  faced  his  assailants,  more  especially  in  the  sort 
of  rally  with  which  this  trial  terminated,  excited  a  pro 
found  respect  in  the  spectators;  and  when  the  chiefs 
announced  that  the  prisoner  had  well  withstood  the  trials 
of  the  knife  and  the  tomahawk,  there  was  not  a  single 
individual  in  the  band  who  really  felt  any  hostility  to 
wards  him,  with  the  exception  of  Sumach  and  the  Bound 
ing  Boy.  These  two  discontented  spirits  got  together,  it 
is  true,  feeding  each  other's  ire;  but,  asyet,  their  malig 
nant  feelings  were  confined  very  much  to  themselves, 
though  there  existed  the  danger  that  the  others,  ere  long, 
could  not  fail  to  be  excited  by  their  own  efforts  into  that 
demoniacal  state  which  usually  accompanied  all  similar 
scenes  among  the  red  men. 

Rivenoak  now  told  his  people  that  the  pale  face  had 
proved  himself  to  be  a  man.  He  might  live  with  the 
Delawares,  but  he  had  not  been  made  woman  with  that 
tribe.  He  wished  to  know  whether  it  was  the  desire  of 
the  Hurons  to  proceed  any  further.  Even  the  gentlest  of 
the  females,  however,  had  received  too  much  satisfaction 
in  the  late  trials  to  forego  their  expectations  of  a  grati 
fying  exhibition;  and  there  was  but  one  voice  in  the 
request  to  proceed.  The  politic  chief,  who  had  some  such 
desire  to  receive  so  celebrated  a  hunter  into  his  tribe  as  a 
European  minister  has  to  devise  a  new  and  available  means 
of  taxation,  sought  every  plausible  means  of  arresting  the 
trial  in  season;  for  he  well  knew,  if  permitted  to  go  far 
enough  to  arouse  the  more  ferocious  passions  of  the  tor- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  515 

mentors,  it  would  be  as  easy  to  dam  the  waters  of  the 
great  lakes  of  his  own  region,  as  to  attempt  to  arrest 
them  in  their  bloody  career.  He  therefore  called  four  or 
five  of  the  best  marksmen  to  him,  and  bid  them  put  the 
captive  to  the  proof  of  the  rifle,  while,  at  the  same  time, 
he  cautioned  them  touching  the  necessity  of  their  main 
taining  their  own  credit,  by  the  closest  attention  to  the 
manner  of  exhibiting  their  skill. 

When  Deerslayer  saw  the  chosen  warriors  step  into  the 
circle  with  their  arms  prepared  for  service,  he  felt  some 
such  relief  as  the  miserable  sufferer,  who  had  long  en 
dured  the  agonies  of  disease,  feels  at  the  certain  approach 
of  death.  Any  trifling  variance  in  the  aim  of  this  for 
midable  weapon  would  prove  fatal ;  since,  the  head  being 
the  target,  or  rather  the  point  it  was  desired  to  graze 
without  injury,  an  inch  or  two  of  difference  in  the  line  of 
projection  must  at  once  determine  the  question  of  life  or 
death. 

In  the  torture  by  the  rifle  there  was  none  of  the  latitude 
permitted  that  appeared  in  the  case  of  even  Gesler's  apple, 
a  hair's-breadth  being,  in  fact,  the  utmost  limits  that  an 
expert  marksman  would  allow  himself  on  an  occasion  like 
this.  Victims  were  frequently  shot  through  the  head  by 
too  eager  or  unskillful  hands;  and  it  often  occurred  that, 
exasperated  by  the  fortitude  and  taunts  of  the  prisoner, 
death  was  dealt  intentionally  in  a  moment  of  ungovernable 
irration.  All  this  Deerslayer  well  knew,  for  it  was  in 
relating  the  traditions  of  such  scenes,  as  well  as  of  the 
battles  and  victories  of  their  people,  that  the  old  men  be 
guiled  the  long  winter  evenings  in  their  cabins.  He  now 
fully  expected  the  end  of  his  career,  and  experienced  a  sort 
of  melancholy  pleasure  in  the  idea  that  he  was  to  fall  by  a 
weapon  as  much  beloved  as  the  rifle.  A  slight  interrup 
tion,  however,  took  place  before  the  business  was  allowed 
to  proceed. 

Hetty  Hutter  witnessed  all  that  passed,  and  the  scene 
at  first  had  pressed  upon  her  feeble  mind  in  a  way  to 
paralyze  it  entirely;  but  by  this  time  she  had  rallied,  and 
was  growing  indignant  at  the  unmerited  suffering  the 
Indians  were  inflicting  on  her  friend.  Though  timid,  and 
shy  as  the  young  of  the  deer,  on  so  many  occasions,  this 


516  THE  DEERSLAYER 

right-feeling  girl  was  always  intrepid  in  the  cause  of 
humanity;  the  lessons  of  her  mother,  and  the  impulses  of 
her  own  heart — perhaps  we  might  say  the  promptings  of 
that  unseen  and  pure  spirit  that  seemed  ever  to  watch 
over  and  direct  her  actions — uniting  to  keep  down  the 
apprehensions  of  woman,  and  to  impel  her  to  be  bold  and 
resolute.  She  now  appeared  in  the  circle,  gentle,  femi 
nine,  even  bashful  in  mien,  as  usual,  but  earnest  in  her 
words  and  countenance,  speaking  like  one  who  knew  her 
self  to  be  sustained  by  the  high  authority  of  God. 

"Why  do  you  torment  Deerslayer,  red  men?"  she  asked. 
"What  has  he  done  that  you  trifle  with  his  life;  who  has 
given  you  the  right  to  be  his  judges?  Suppose  one  of 
your  knives  or  tomahawks  had  hit  him;  what  Indian 
among  you  all  could  cure  the  wound  you  would  make? 
Besides,  in  harming  Deerslayer,  you  injure  your  own 
friend;  when  father  and  Hurry  Harry  came  after  your 
scalps,  he  refused  to  be  of  the  party,  and  stayed  in  the 
canoe  by  himself.  You  are  tormenting  your  friend,  in 
tormenting  this  young  man!" 

The  Hurons  listened  with  grave  attention,  and  one 
among  them,  who  understood  English,  translated  what 
had  been  said  into  their  native  tongue.  As  soon  as  Riven- 
oak  was  made  acquainted  with  the  purport  of  her  address, 
he  answered  it  in  his  own  dialect;  the  interpreter  convey 
ing  it  to  the  girl  in  English. 

"My  daughter  is  very  welcome  to  speak,"  said  the  stern 
old  orator,  using  gentle  intonations,  and  smiling  as  kindly 
as  if  addressing  a  child;  "the  Hurons  are  glad  to  hear  her 
voice;  they  listen  to  what  she  says.  The  Great  Spirit 
often  speaks  to  men  with  such  tongues.  This  time  her 
eyes  have  not  been  open  wide  enough,  to  see  all  that  has 
happened.  Deerslayer  did  not  come  for  our  scalps,  that 
is  true;  why  did  he  not  come?  Here  they  are,  on  our 
heads;  the  warlocks  are  ready  to  be  taken  hold  of;  a  bold 
enemy  ought  to  stretch  out  his  hand  to  seize  them.  The 
Iroquois  are  too  great  a  nation  to  punish  men  that  take 
scalps.  What  they  do  themselves,  they  like  to  see  others 
do.  Let  my  daughter  look  around  her,  and  count  my 
warriors.  Had  1  as  many  hands  as  four  warriors,  their 
fingers  would  be  fewer  than  my  people,  when  they  came 


THE   DEERSLAYER  517 

into  your  hunting-grounds.  Now,  a  whole  hand  is  miss 
ing.  Where  are  the  fingers?  Two  have  been  cut  off  by 
this  pale  face;  my  Hurons  wish  to  see  if  he  did  this  by 
means  of  a  stout  heart,  or  by  treachery  like  a  skulking 
fox,  or  like  a  leaping  panther." 

"You  know  yourself,  Huron,  how  one  of  them  fell.  I 
saw  it,  and  you  all  saw  it,  too.  'Twas  too  bloody  to  look 
at,  but  it  was  not  Deerslayer's  fault.  Your  warrior  sought 
his  life,  and  he  defended  himself.  I  don't  know  whether 
the  good  book  says  that  it  was  right,  but  all  men  will  do 
that.  Come,  if  you  want  to  know  which  of  you  can  shoot 
best,  give  Deerslayer  a  rifle,  and  then  you  will  find  how 
much  more  expert  he  is  than  any  of  your  warriors;  yes, 
than  all  of  them  together!" 

Could  one  have  looked  upon  such  a  scene  with  indiffer 
ence,  he  would  have  been  amused  at  the  gravity  with 
which  the  savages  listened  to  the  translation  of  this 
unusual  request.  No  taunt,  no  smile  mingled  with  their 
surprise,  for  Hetty  had  a  character  and  a  manner  too 
saintly  to  subject  her  infirmity  to  the  mockings  of  the 
rude  and  ferocious.  On  the  contrary,  she  was  answered 
with  a  respectful  attention. 

"My  daughter  does  not  always  talk  like  a  chief  at  a 
council-fire,"  returned  Rivenoak,  "or  she  would  not  have 
said  this.  Two  of  my  warriors  have  fallen  by  the  blows 
of  our  prisoner;  their  grave  is  too  small  to  hold  a  third. 
The  Hurons  do  net  like  to  crowd  their  dead.  If  there  is 
another  spirit  about  to  set  out  for  the  far-off  world,  it 
must  not  be  the  spirit  of  a  Huron;  it  must  be  the  spirit  of 
a  pale  face.  Go,  daughter,  and  sit  by  Sumach,  who  is  in 
grief;  let  the  Huron  warriors  show  how  well  they  can 
shoot;  let  the  pale  face  show  how  little  he  cares  for  their 
bullets." 

Hetty's  mind  was  unequal  to  a  sustained  discussion, 
and,  accustomed  to  defer  to  the  directions  of  her  seniors, 
she  did  as  told,  seating  herself  passively  on  a  log  by  the 
side  of  the  Sumach,  and  averting  her  face  from  the  pain 
ful  scene  that  was  occurring  within  the  circle. 

The  warriors,  as  soon  as  this  interruption  had  ceased, 
resumed  their  places  and  again  prepared  to  exhibit  their 
skill,  as  there  was  a  double  object  in  view,  that  of  putting 


518  THE   DEERSLAYER 

*•*„ 

the  constancy  of  the  captive  to  the  proof,  and  that  of 
showing  how  steady  were  the  hands  of  the  marksmen 
under  circumstances  of  excitement.  The  distance  was 
small,  and,  in  one  sense,  safe.  But  in  diminishing  the 
distance  taken  by  the  tormentors,  the  trial  to  the  nerves 
of  the  captive  was  essentially  increased.  The  face  of 
Deerslayer,  indeed,  was  just  removed  sufficiently  from 
the  ends  of  the  guns  to  escape  the  effects  of  the  flash,  and 
his  steady  eye  was  enabled  to  look  directly  into  their 
muzzles,  as  it  might  be,  in  anticipation  of  the  fatal 
messenger  that  was  to  issue  from  each.  The  cunning 
Hurons  well  knew  this  fact;  and  scarce  one  leveled  his 
piece  without  first  causing  it  to  point  as  near  as  possible 
at  the  forehead  of  the  prisoner,  in  the  hope  that  his  for 
titude  would  fail  him,  and  that  the  band  would  enjoy  the 
triumph  of  seeing  a  victim  quail  under  their  ingenious 
cruelty.  Nevertheless,  each  of  the  competitors  was  still 
careful  not  to  injure;  the  disgrace  of  striking  prema 
turely  being  second  only  to  that  of  failing  altogether  in 
attaining  the  object.  Shot  after  shot  was  made;  all  the 
bullets  coming  in  close  proximity  to  the  Deerslayer's 
head,  without  touching  it.  Still,  no  one  could  detect 
even  the  twitching  of  a  muscle  on  the  part  of  the  captive, 
or  the  slightest  winking  of  an  eye.  This  indomitable 
resolution,  which  so  much  exceeded  everything  of  its 
kind  that  any  present  had  before  witnessed,  might  be 
referred  to  three  distinct  causes.  The  first  was  resigna 
tion  to  his  fate,  blended  with  natural  steadiness  of  deport 
ment;  for  our  hero  had  calmly  made  up  his  mind  that 
he  must  die,  and  preferred  this  mode  to  any  other;  the 
second  was  his  great  familiarity  with  this  particular 
weapon,  which  deprived  it  of  all  the  terror  that  is  usually 
connected  with  the  mere  form  of  the  danger;  and  the 
third  was  this  familiarity  carried  out  in  practice,  to  a 
degree  so  nice  as  to  enable  the  intended  victim  to  tell, 
within  an  inch,  the  precise  spot  where  each  bullet  must 
strike,  for  he  calculated  its  range  by  looking  in  at  the 
bore  of  the  piece.  So  exact  was  Deerslayer's  estimation 
of  the  line  of  fire,  that  his  pride  of  feeling  finally  got  the 
better  of  his  resignation,  and,  when  five  or  six  had  dis 
charged  their  bullets  into  the  trees,  he  could  not  refrain 


THE   DEERSLAYER  519 

•V 

from  expressing  his  contempt  at  their  want  of  hand  and 
eye. 

"You  may  call  this  shooting,  Mingoes, "  he  exclaimed, 
"but  we've  squaws  among  the  Delawares,  and  I  have 
known  Dutch  gals  on  the  Mohawk,  that  could  outdo  your 
greatest  indivors.  Ondo  these  arms  of  mine,  put  a  rifle 
into  my  hands,  and  I'll  pin  the  thinnest  warlock  in  your 
party  to  any  tree  you  can  show  me;  and  this  at  a  hundred 
yards:  ay,  or  at  two  hundred,  if  the  object  can  be  seen, 
nineteen  shots  in  twenty:  or,  for  that  matter,  twenty  in 
twenty,  if  the  piece  is  creditable  and  trusty!" 

A  low,  menacing  murmur  followed  this  cool  taunt;  the 
ire  of  the  warriors  kindled  at  listening  to  such  a  reproach 
from  one  who  so  far  disdained  their  efforts  as  to  refuse 
even  to  wink,  when  a  rifle  was  discharged  as  near  his  face 
as  could  be  done  without  burning  it.  Rivenoak  perceived 
that  the  moment  was  critical,  and,  still  retaining  his  hope 
of  adopting  so  noted  a  hunter  into  his  tribe,  the  politic 
old  chief  interposed  in  time,  probably,  to  prevent  an  im 
mediate  resort  to  that  portion  of  the  torture  which  must 
necessarily  have  produced  death,  through  extreme  bodily 
suffering,  if  in  no  other  manner.  Moving  into  the  center 
of  the  irritated  group,  he  addressed  them  with  his  usual 
wily  logic  and  plausible  manner,  at  once  suppressing  the 
fierce  movement  that  had  commenced. 

"I  see  how  it  is,"  he  said.  "We  have  been  like  the 
pale  faces  when  they  fasten  their  doors  at  night,  out  of 
fear  of  the  red  man.  They  use  so  many  bars,  that  the 
fire  comes  and  burns  them  before  they  can  get  out.  We 
have  bound  the  Deerslayer  too  tight;  the  thongs  keep  his 
limbs  from  shaking,  and  his  eyes  from  shutting.  Loosen 
him;  let  us  see  what  his  own  body  is  really  made  of." 

It  is  often  the  case  when  we  are  thwarted  in  a  cherished 
scheme,  that  any  expedient,  however  unlikely  to  succeed, 
is  gladly  resorted  to,  in  preference  to  a  total  abandonment 
of  the  project.  So  it  was  with  the  Hurons.  The  proposal 
of  the  chief  found  instant  favor;  and  several  hands  were 
immediately  at  work  cutting  and  tearing  the  ropes  of 
bark  from  the  body  of  our  hero.  In  half  a  minute,  Deer- 
slayer  stood  as  free  from  bonds,  as  when,  an  hour  before, 
he  had  commenced  his  flight  on  the  side  of  the  mountain. 


520  THE   DEERSLAYER 

Some  little  time  was  necessary  that  he  should  recover  the 
use  of  his  limbs,  the  circulation  of  the  blood  having  been 
checked  by  the  tightness  of  the  ligatures;  and  this  was 
accorded  to  him  by  the  politic  Rivenoak,  under  the  pre 
tense  that  his  body  would  be  more  likely  to  submit  to 
apprehension,  if  its  true  tone  were  restored;  though  really 
with  a  view  to  give  time  to  the  fierce  passions  which  had 
been  awakened  in  the  bosoms  of  his  young  men,  to  sub 
side.  This  ruse  succeeded;  and  Deerslayer,  by  rubbing 
his  limbs,  stamping  his  feet,  and  moving  about,  soon 
regained  the  circulation;  recovering  all  his  physical 
powers  as  effectually  as  if  nothing  had  occurred  to  disturb 
them. 

It  is  seldom  men  think  of  death  in  the  pride  of  their 
health  and  strength.  So  it  was  with  Deerslayer.  Having 
been  helplessly  bound,  and,  as  he  had  every  reason  to  sup 
pose,  so  lately  on  the  very  verge  of  the  other  world,  to 
find  himself  so  unexpectedly  liberated,  in  possession  of 
his  strength,  and  with  a  full  command  of  limb,  acted  on 
him  like  a  sudden  restoration  to  life,  reanimating  hopes 
that  he  had  once  absolutely  abandoned.  From  that  instant 
all  his  plans  changed. 

In  this  he  simply  obeyed  a  law  of  nature;  for  while  we 
have  wished  to  represent  our  hero  as  being  resigned  to 
his  fate,  it  has  been  far  from  our  intention  to  represent 
him  as  anxious  to  die.  From  the  instant  that  his  buoy 
ancy  of  feeling  revived,  his  thoughts  were  keenly  bent  on 
the  various  projects  that  presented  themselves  as  modes 
of  evading  the  designs  of  his  enemies;  and  he  again 
became  the  quick-witted,  ingenious,  and  determined 
woodsman,  alive  to  all  his  own  powers  and  resources. 
The  change  was  so  great  that  his  mind  resumed  its  elas 
ticity;  and,  no  longer  thinking  of  submission,  it  dwelt 
only  on  the  devices  of  the  sort  of  warfare  in  which  he 
was  engaged. 

As  soon  as  Deerslayer  was  released,  the  band  divided 
itself  in  a  circle  around  him,  in  order  to  hedge  him  in; 
and  the  desire  to  break  down  his  spirit  grew  in  them, 
precisely  as  they  saw  proofs  of  the  difficulty  there  would 
be  in  subduing  it.  The  honor  of  the  band  was  now 
inrolved  in  the  issue;  and  even  the  sex  lost  all  its  sym- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  521 

pathy  with  suffering,  in  the  desire  to  save  the  reputation 
of  the  tribe.  The  voices  of  the  girls,  soft  and  melodious 
as  nature  had  made  them,  were  heard  mingling  with  the 
menaces  of  the  men ;  and  the  wrongs  of  Sumach  suddenly 
assumed  the  character  of  injuries  inflicted  on  every  Huron 
female.  Yielding  to  this  rising  tumult,  the  men  drew 
back  a  little,  signifying  to  the  females  that  they  left  the 
captive,  for  a  time,  in  their  hands;  it  being  a  common 
practise,  on  such  occasions,  for  the  women  to  endeavor  to 
throw  the  victim  into  a  rage,  by  their  taunts  and  revil- 
ings,  and  then  to  turn  him  suddenly  over  to  the  men,  in 
a  state  of  mind  that  was  little  favorable  to  resisting  the 
agony  of  bodily  suffering.  Nor  was  this  party  without 
the  proper  instruments  for  effecting  such  a  purpose. 
Sumach  had  a  notoriety  as  a  scold ;  and  one  or  two  crones, 
like  the  She  Bear,  had  come  out  with  the  party,  most 
probably  as  the  conservators  of  its  decency  and  moral 
discipline;  such  things  occurring  in  savage  as  well  as  civ 
ilized  life.  It  is  unnecessary  to  repeat  all  that  ferocity 
and  ignorance  could  invent  for  such  a  purpose;  the  only 
difference  between  this  outbreaking  of  feminine  anger, 
and  a  similar  scene  among  ourselves,  consisting  in  the 
figures  of  speech  and  the  epithets;  the  Huron  women 
calling  their  prisoner  by  the  names  of  the  lower  and  least 
respected  animals  that  were  known  to  themselves. 

But  Deerslayer's  mind  was  too  much  occupied  to  permit 
him  to  be  disturbed  by  the  abuse  of  excited  hags;  and 
their  rage  necessarily  increasing  with  his  indifference,  as 
his  indifference  increased  with  their  rage,  the  furies  soon 
rendered  themselves  impotent  by  their  own  excesses. 
Perceiving  that  the  attempt  was  a  complete  failure,  the 
warriors  interfered  to  put  a  stop  to  this  scene;  and  this 
so  much  the  more,  because  preparations  were  now  seri 
ously  making  for  the  commencement  of  the  real  tortures, 
or  that  which  would  put  the  fortitude  of  the  sufferer  to 
the  test  of  severe  bodily  pain.  A  sudden  and  unlooked- 
for  announcement  that  proceeded  from  one  of  the  look 
outs,  a  boy  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  however,  put  a 
momentary  check  to  the  whole  proceedings.  As  this 
interruption  has  a  close  connection  with  the  denouement 
of  our  story,  it  shall  be  given  in  a  separate  chapter. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

**  So  deem'st  thou— so  each  mortal  deems 
Of  that  which  is  from  that  which  seems; 

But  other  harvest  here 
Than  that  which  peasant's  scythe  demands, 
Was  gathered  in  by  sterner  hands, 

With  bayonet,  blade,  and  spear." 

—SCOTT. 

IT  exceeded  Deerslayer's  power  to  ascertain  what  had 
produced  the  sudden  pause  in  the  movements  of  his  ene 
mies,  until  the  fact  was  revealed  in  the  due  course  of 
events.  He  perceived  that  much  agitation  prevailed 
among  the  women  in  particular,  while  the  warriors 
rested  on  their  arms,  in  a  sort  of  dignified  expectation. 
It  was  plain  no  alarm  was  excited,  though  it  was  not 
equally  apparent  that  a  friendly  occurrence  produced  the 
delay.  Rivenoak  was  evidently  apprised  of  all,  and  by  a 
gesture  of  his  arm  he  appeared  to  direct  the  circle  to  re 
main  unbroken,  and  for  each  person  to  await  the  issue  in 
the  situation  he  or  she  then  occupied.  It  required  but  a 
minute  or  two  to  bring  an  explanation  of  this  singular 
and  mysterious  pause,  which  was  soon  terminated  by  the 
appearance  of  Judith,  on  the  exterior  of  the  line  of  bodies, 
and  her  ready  admission  within  its  circle. 

If  Deerslayer  was  startled  by  this  unexpected  arrival, 
well  knowing  that  the  quick-witted  girl  could  claim  none 
of  that  exemption  from  the  penalties  of  captivity  that 
was  so  cheerfully  accorded  to  her  feeble-minded  sister, 
he  was  equally  astonished  at  the  guise  in  which  she  came. 
All  her  ordinary  forest  attire,  neat  and  becoming  as  this 
usually  was,  had  been  laid  aside  for  the  brocade  that 
has  been  already  mentioned,  and  which  had  once  before 
wrought  so  great  and  magical  an  effect  in  her  appearance. 
Nor  was  this  all.  Accustomed  to  see  the  ladies  of  the 
garrison,  in  the  formal  gala  attire  of  the  day,  and  famil 
iar  with  the  more  critical  niceties  of  these  matters,  the 
girl  had  managed  to  complete  her  dress,  in  a  way  to  leave 

522 


THE  DEERSLAYER  523 

nothing  strikingly  defective  in  its  details,  or  even  to 
betray  an  incongruity  that  would  have  been  detected  by  one 
practised  in  the  mysteries  of  the  toilet.  Head,  feet, 
arms,  hands,  bust,  and  drapery  were  all  in  harmony,  as 
female  attire  was  then  deemed  attractive  and  harmonious; 
and  the  end  she  aimed  at,  that  of  imposing  on  the  unin- 
structed  senses  of  the  savages,  by  causing  them  to  believe 
their  guest  was  a  woman  of  rank  and  importance,  might 
well  have  succeeded  with  those  whose  habits  had  taught 
them  to  discriminate  between  persons.  Judith,  in  addi 
tion  to  her  rare  native  beauty,  had  a  singular  grace  of 
person,  and  her  mother  had  imparted  enough  of  her  own 
deportment  to  prevent  any  striking  or  offensive  vulgarity 
of  manner;  so  that,  sooth  to  say,  the  gorgeous  dress  might 
have  been  worse  bestowed  in  nearly  every  particular.  Had 
it  been  displayed  in  a  capital,  a  thousand  might  have 
worn  it  before  one  could  have  been  found  to  do  more 
credit  to  its  gay  colors,  glossy  satins,  and  rich  laces,  than 
the  beautiful  creature  whose  person  it  now  aided  to 
adorn. 

The  effect  of  such  an  apparition  had  not  been  miscalcu 
lated.  The  instant  Judith  found  herself  within  the  circle, 
she  was,  in  a  degree,  compensated  for  the  fearful  personal 
risk  she  ran,  by  the  unequivocal  sensation  of  surprise  and 
admiration  produced  by  her  appearance.  The  grim  old 
warriors  uttered  their  favorite  exclamation,  "Hugh!" 
The  younger  men  were  still  more  sensibly  overcome,  and 
even  the  women  were  not  backward  in  letting  open  man 
ifestations  of  pleasure  escape  them.  It  was  seldom  that 
these  untutored  children  of  the  forest  had  ever  seen  any 
white  female  above  the  commonest  sort,  and  as  to  dress, 
never  before  had  so  much  splendor  shone  before  their 
eyes.  The  gayest  uniforms  of  both  French  and  English 
seemed  dull  compared  with  the  lustre  of  the  brocade;  and 
while  the  rare  personal  beauty  of  the  wearer  added  to  the 
effect  produced  by  its  hues,  the  attire  did  not  fail  to 
adorn  that  beauty  in  a  way  which  surpassed  even  the 
hopes  of  its  wearer.  Deerslayer  himself  was  astounded, 
and  this  quite  as  much  by  the  brilliant  picture  the  girl 
presented,  as  at  the  indifference  to  consequences  with 
which  she  had  braved  the  danger  of  the  step  she  had 


524  THE  DEERSLAYER 

taken.  Under  such  circumstances,  all  waited  for  the 
visitor  to  explain  her  object,  which  to  most  of  the  spec 
tators  seemed  as  inexplicable  as  her  appearance. 

"Which  of  these  warriors  is  the  principal  chief?"  de 
manded  Judith  of  Deerslayer  as  soon  as  she  found  it  was 
expected  that  she  should  open  the  communication;  "my 
errand  is  too  important  to  be  delivered  to  any  of  inferior 
rank.  First  explain  to  the  Hurons  what  I  say;  then  give 
an  answer  to  the  question  I  have  put." 

Deerslayer  quietly  complied,  his  auditors  greedily  lis 
tening  to  the  interpretation  of  the  first  words  that  fell 
from  so  extraordinary  a  vision.  The  demand  seemed  per 
fectly  in  character  for  one  who  had  every  appearance  of 
an  exalted  rank  herself.  Rivenoak  gave  an  appropriate 
reply,  by  presenting  himself  before  his  fair  visitor  in  a  way 
to  leave  no  doubt  that  he  was  entitled  to  all  the  consider 
ation  he  claimed. 

"I  can  believe  this,  Huron,"  resumed  Judith,  enacting 
her  assumed  part  with  a  steadiness  and  dignity  that  did 
credit  to  her  powers  of  imitation,  for  she  strove  to  im 
part  to  her  manner  the  condescending  courtesy  she  had 
once  observed  in  the  wife  of  a  general  officer,  at  a  similar 
though  a  more  amicable  scene:  "I  can  believe  you  to  be 
the  principal  person  of  this  party;  I  see  in  your  counte 
nance  the  marks  of  thought  and  reflection.  To  you,  then, 
I  must  make  my  communication." 

"Let  the  Flower  of  the  Woods  speak,"  returned  the  old 
chief,  courteously,  as  soon  as  her  address  had  been  trans 
lated  so  that  all  might  understand  it.  "If  her  words  are 
as  pleasant  as  her  looks,  they  will  never  quit  my  ears;  I 
shall  hear  them  long  after  the  winter  in  Canada  has  killed 
the  flowers,  and  frozen  all  the  speeches  of  summer. ' ' 

This  admiration  was  grateful  to  one  constituted  like 
Judith,  and  contributed  to  aid  her  self-possession,  quite 
as  much  as  it  fed  her  vanity.  Smiling  involuntarily,  or 
in  spite  of  her  wish  to  seem  reserved,  she  proceeded  in 
her  plot. 

"Now,  Huron,"  she  continued,  "listen  to  my  words. 
Your  eyes  tell  you  that  I  am  no  common  woman.  I  will 
not  say  I  am  queen  of  this  country;  she  is  afar  off,  in  a 
distant  land;  but  under  our  gracious  monarchs  there  are 


THE   DEERSLAYER  525 

many  degrees  of  rank;  one  of  these  I  fill.  What  that  rank 
is  precisely  it  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  say,  since  you 
would  not  understand  it.  For  that  information  you  must 
trust  your  eyes.  You  see  what  I  am ;  you  must  feel  that 
in  listening  to  my  words,  you  listen  to  one  who  can  be 
your  friend  or  your  enemy,  as  you  treat  her." 

This  was  well  uttered,  with  a  due  attention  to  manner 
and  a  steadiness  of  tone  that  was  really  surprising,  con 
sidering  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case.  It  was  well, 
though  simply  rendered  into  the  Indian  dialect,  too,  and 
it  was  received  with  a  respect  and  gravity  that  augured 
favorably  for  the  girl's  success.  But  Indian  thought  is 
not  easily  traced  to  its  sources.  Judith  waited  with 
anxiety  to  hear  the  answer,  filled  with  hope  even  while 
she  doubted.  Rivenoak  was  a  ready  speaker,  and  he 
answered  as  promptly  as  comported  with  the  notions  of 
Indian  decorum;  that  peculiar  people  seeming  to  think  a 
short  delay  respectful,  inasmuch  as  it  manifests  that  the 
words  already  heard  have  been  duly  weighed. 

"My  daughter  is  handsomer  than  the  wild  roses  of 
Ontario;  her  voice  is  pleasant  to  the  ear  as  the  song  of 
the  wren,"  answered  the  cautious  and  wily  chief,  who  of 
all  the  band  stood  alone  in  not  being  fully  imposed  on  by 
the  magnificent  and  unusual  appearance  of  Judith;  but 
who  distrusted  even  while  he  wondered;  "the  humming 
bird  is  not  much  larger  than  the  bee;  yet  its  feathers  are 
as  gay  as  the  tail  of  the  peacock.  The  Great  Spirit  some 
times  puts  very  bright  clothes  on  very  little  animals. 
Still,  he  covers  the  moose  with  coarse  hair.  These  things 
are  beyond  the  understanding  of  poor  Indians,  who  can 
only  comprehend  what  they  see  and  hear.  No  doubt  my 
daughter  has  a  very  large  wigwam  somewhere  about  the 
lake;  the  Hurons  have  not  found  it  on  account  of  their 
ignorance?" 

"I  have  told  you,  chief,  that  it  would  be  useless  to 
state  my  rank  and  residence,  inasmuch  as  you  would  not 
comprehend  them.  You  must  trust  to  your  eyes  for  this 
knowledge;  what  red  man  is  there  that  cannot  see?  This 
blanket  that  I  wear  is  not  the  blanket  of  a  common  squaw; 
these  ornaments  are  such  as  the  wives  and  daughters  of 
chiefs  only  appear  in.  Now  listen  and  hear  why  I  have 


526  THE   DEERSLAYER 

come  alone  among  your  people,  and  hearken  to  the  errand 
that  has  brought  me  here.  The  Yengeese  have  young 
men  as  well  as  the  Hurons;  and  plenty  of  them,  too;  this 
you  well  know." 

"The  Yengeese  are  as  plenty  as  the  leaves  on  the  trees! 
This  every  Huron  knows  and  feels." 

"I  understand  you,  chief.  Had  I  brought  a  party  with 
me  it  might  have  caused  trouble.  My  young  men  and 
your  young  men  would  have  looked  angrily  at  each  other; 
especially  had  my  young  men  seen  that  pale  face  bound 
for  the  tortures.  He  is  a  great  hunter,  and  is  much  loved 
by  all  the  garrisons,  far  and  near.  There  would  have 
been  blows  about  him,  and  the  trail  of  the  Iroquois  back 
to  the  Canadas  would  have  been  marked  with  blood." 

"There  is  so  much  blood  on  it  now,"  returned  the 
chief,  gloomily,  "that  it  blinds  our  eyes.  My  young 
men  see  that  it  is  all  Huron." 

"No  doubt;  and  more  Huron  blood  would  be  spilt,  had 
I  come  surrounded  with  pale  faces.  I  have  heard  of 
Rivenoak,  and  have  thought  it  would  be  better  to  send 
him  back  in  peace  to  his  village,  that  he  might  leave  his 
women  and  children  behind  him;  if  he  then  wished  to 
come  for  our  scalps,  we  would  meet  him.  He  loves  ani 
mals  made  of  ivory,  and  little  rifles.  See;  I  have  brought 
some  with  me  to  show  him.  I  am  his  friend.  When  he 
has  packed  up  these  things  among  his  goods,  he  will  start 
for  his  village,  before  any  of  my  young  men  can  overtake 
him;  and  then  he  will  show  his  people  in  Canada  what 
riches  they  can  come  to  seek,  now  that  our  great  fathers, 
across  the  Salt  Lake,  have  sent  each  other  the  war- 
hatchet.  I  will  lead  back  with  me,  this  great  hunter,  of 
whom  I  have  need  to  keep  my  house  in  venison." 

Judith,  who  was  sufficiently  familiar  with  Indian  phrase 
ology,  endeavored  to  express  her  ideas  in  the  sententious 
manner  common  to  those  people;  and  she  succeeded  even 
beyond  her  own  expectations.  Deerslayer  did  her  full 
justice  in  the  translation,  and  this  so  much  the  more 
readily,  since  the  girl  carefully  abstained  from  uttering 
any  direct  untruth;  a  homage  she  paid  to  the  young  man's 
known  aversion  to  falsehood,  which  he  deemed  a  meanness 
altogether  unworthy  of  a  white  man's  gifts.  The  offering 


THE   DEERSLAYER  527 

of  the  two  remaining  elephants,  and  of  the  pistols  already 
mentioned,  one  of  which  was  all  the  worse  for  the  recent 
accident,  produced  a  lively  sensation  among  the  Hurons 
generally,  though  Rivenoak  received  it  coldly,  notwith 
standing  the  delight  with  which  he  had  first  discovered 
the  probable  existence  of  a  creature  with  two  tails.  In  a 
word,  this  cool  and  sagacious  savage  was  not  so  easily 
imposed  on  as  his  followers;  and  with  a  sentiment  of 
honor,  that  half  the  civilized  world  would  have  deemed 
supererogatory,  he  declined  the  acceptance  of  a  bribe  that 
he  felt  no  disposition  to  earn  by  a  compliance  with  the 
donor's  wishes. 

"Let  my  daughter  keep  her  two-tailed  hog,  to  eat  when 
venison  is  scarce,"  he  dryly  answered;  "and  the  little 
gun,  which  has  two  muzzles.  The  Hurons  will  kill  deer 
when  they  are  hungry;  and  they  have  long  rifles  to  fight 
with.  This  hunter  cannot  quit  my  young  men  now;  they 
wish  to  know  if  he  is  as  stout-hearted  as  he  boasts  himself 
to  be." 

"That  I  deny,  Huron,"  interrupted  Deerslayer,  with 
warmth;  "yes,  that  I  downright  deny,  as  ag'in  truth  and 
reason.  No  man  has  heard  me  boast,  and  no  man  shall, 
though  ye  flay  me  alive,  and  then  roast  the  quivering 
flesh,  with  your  own  infarnal  devices  and  cruelties!  I 
may  be  humble,  and  misf ortunate,  and  your  prisoner ;  but 
I'm  no  boaster,  by  my  very  gifts." 

"My  young  pale  face  boasts  he  is  no  boaster,"  returned 
the  crafty  chief.  "He  must  be  right.  I  hear  a  strange 
bird  singing.  It  has  very  rich  feathers.  No  Huron  ever 
before  saw  such  feathers.  They  will  be  ashamed  to  go 
back  to  their  village  and  tell  their  people  that  they  let 
their  prisoner  go  on  account  of  the  song  of  this  strange 
bird,  and  not  able  to  give  the  name  of  the  bird.  They  do  i 
not  know  how  to  say  whether  it  is  a  wren  or  a  cat-bird. 
This  would  be  a  great  disgrace;  my  young  men  would  not 
be  allowed  to  travel  in  the  woods,  without  taking  their 
mothers  with  them  to  tell  them  the  names  of  the  birds." 

"You  can  ask  my  name  of  your  prisoner,"  returned  the 
girl.  "It  is  Judith;  and  there  is  a  great  deal  of  the  his 
tory  of  Judith  in  the  pale  faces'  best  book,  the  Bible.  If 
I  am  a  bird  of  fine  feathers,  I  have  also  my  name." 


528  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"No,"  answered  the  wily  Huron,  betraying  the  artifice 
he  had  so  long  practised,  by  speaking  in  English,  with 
tolerable  accuracy;  "I  not  ask  prisoner.  He  tired;  he 
want  rest.  I  ask  my  daughter,  with  feeble-mind.  She 
speak  truth.  Come  here,  daughter;  you  answer.  Your 
name,  Hetty?" 

"Yes,  that's  what  they  call  me,"  returned  the  girl, 
"though  it's  written  Esther,  in  the  Bible." 

"He  write  him  in  Bible,  too?  All  write  in  Bible.  No 
matter — what  her  name?" 

"That's  Judith,  and  it's  so  written  in  the  Bible,  though 
father  sometimes  called  her  Jude.  That's  my  sister 
Judith,  Thomas  Hutter's  daughter — Thomas  Hutter.whom 
you  called  the  Muskrat;  though  he  was  no  muskrat,  but  a 
man,  like  yourselves — he  lived  in  a  house  on  the  water, 
and  that  was  enough  for  you. ' ' 

A  smile  of  triumph  gleamed  on  the  hard,  wrinkled  coun 
tenance  of  the  chief,  when  he  found  how  completely  his 
appeal  to  the  truth-loving  Hetty  had  succeeded.  As  for 
Judith  herself,  the  moment  her  sister  was  questioned,  she 
saw  that  all  was  lost;  for  no  sign,  or  even  entreaty,  could 
have  induced  the  right-feeling  girl  to  utter  a  falsehood. 
To  attempt  to  impose  a  daughter  of  the  Muskrat  on  the 
savages,  as  a  princess  or  a  great  lady,  she  knew  would  be 
idle;  and  she  saw  her  bold  and  ingenious  expedient  for 
liberating  the  captive  fail,  through  one  of  the  simplest 
and  most  natural  causes  that  could  be  imagined.  She 
turned  her  eye  on  Deerslayer,  therefore,  as  if  imploring 
him  to  interfere,  to  save  them  both. 

"It  will  not  do,  Judith,"  said  the  young  man,  in  an 
swer  to  this  appeal,  which  he  understood,  though  he  saw 
its  uselessness.  "It  will  not  do.  'Twas  a  bold  idee,  and 
fit  for  a  gin'ral's  lady;  but  yonder  Mingo" — Rivenoak 
had  withdrawn  to  a  little  distance,  and  was  out  of  ear 
shot — "but  yonder  Mingo  is  an  oncommon  man,  and  not 
to  be  deceived  by  any  unnat'ral  sarcumventions.  Things 
must  come  afore  him  in  their  right  order  to  draw  a  cloud 
afore  his  eyes!  'Twas  too  much  to  attempt  making  him 
fancy  that  a  queen  or  a  great  lady  lived  in  these  moun 
tains;  and  no  doubt  he  thinks  the  fine  clothes  you  wear 
are  some  of  the  plunder  of  your  own  father — or,  at  least, 


THE   DEERSLAYER  529 

of  him  who  once  passed  for  your  father;  as  quite  likely  it 
was,  if  all  they  say  is  true." 

"At  all  events,  Deerslayer,  my  presence  here  will  save 
you  for  a  time.  They  will  hardly  attempt  torturing  you 
before  my  face!" 

"Why  not,  Judith?  Do  you  think  they  will  treat  a 
woman  of  the  pale  faces  more  tenderly  than  they  treat 
their  o\vn?  It's  true  that  your  sex  will  most  likely  save 
you  from  the  torments,  but  it  will  not  save  your  liberty, 
and  may  not  save  your  scalp.  I  wish  you  hadn't  come, 
my  good  Judith;  it  can  do  no  good  to  me,  while  it  may 
do  great  harm  to  yourself." 

"I  can  share  your  fate,"  the  girl  answered,  with  gen 
erous  enthusiasm.  "They  shall  not  injure  you  while  I 
stand  by,  if  in  my  power  to  prevent  it — besides " 

"Besides  what,  Judith?  What  means  have  you  to  stop 
Injin  cruelties,  or  to  avart  Injin  deviltries?" 

"None,  perhaps,  Deerslayer,"  answered  the  girl,  with 
firmness;  "but  I  can  suffer  with  my  friends — die  with 
them,  if  necessary." 

"Ah!  Judith — suffer  you  may;  but  die  you  will  not 
until  the  Lord's  time  shall  come.  It's  little  likely  that 
one  of  your  sex  and  beauty  will  meet  with  a  harder  fate 
than  to  become  the  wife  of  a  chief,  if  indeed  your  white 
inclinations  can  stoop  to  match  with  an  Injin.  'Twould 
have  been  better  had  you  stayed  in  the  ark  or  the  castle, 
but  what  has  been  done,  is  done.  You  was  about  to  say 
something,  when  you  stopped  at  'besides?'  ' 

"It  might  not  be  safe  to  mention  it  here,  Deerslayer," 
the  girl  hurriedly  answered,  moving  past  him  carelessly 
that  she  might  speak  in  a  low  tone;  "half  an  hour  is  all 
in  all  to  us.  None  of  your  friends  are  idle." 

The  hunter  replied  merely  by  a  grateful  look.  Then  he 
turned  towards  his  enemies,  as  if  ready  again  to  face  the 
torments.  A  short  consultation  had  passed  among  the 
elders  of  the  band,  and  by  this  time  they  also  were  pre 
pared  with  their  decision.  The  merciful  purpose  of 
Rivencak  had  been  much  weakened  by  the  artifice  of 
Judith,  which,  failing  of  its  real  object,  was  likely  to 
produce  results  the  very  opposite  of  those  she  had  antici 
pated.  This  was  natural;  the  feeling  being  aided  by  the 
34 


530  THE   DEERSLAYER 

resentment  of  an  Indian,  who  found  how  near  he  had  been 
to  becoming  the  dupe  of  an  inexperienced  girl.  By  this 
time  Judith's  real  character  was  fully  understood — the 
widespread  reputation  of  her  beauty  contributed  to  the 
exposure.  As  for  the  unusual  attire,  it  was  confounded 
with  the  profound  mystery  of  the  animals  with  two  tails, 
and,  for  the  moment,  lost  its  influence. 

When  Rivenoak,  therefore,  faced  the  captive  again,  it 
was  with  an  altered  countenance.  He  had  abandoned  the 
wish  of  saving  him,  and  was  no  longer  disposed  to  retard 
the  more  serious  part  of  the  torture.  This  change  of 
sentiment  was,  in  effect,  communicated  to  the  young  men, 
who  were  already  eagerly  engaged  in  making  their  prep 
arations  for  the  contemplated  scene.  Fragments  of  dried 
wood  were  rapidly  collected  near  the  sapling,  the  splinters 
which  it  was  intended  to  thrust  into  the  flesh  of  the  vic 
tim,  previously  to  lighting,  were  all  collected,  and  the 
thongs  were  already  produced  that  were  again  to  bind 
him  to  the  tree.  All  this  was  done  in  profound  silence, 
Judith  watching  every  movement  with  breathless  expecta 
tion,  while  Deerslayer  himself  stood  seemingly  as  unmoved 
as  one  of  the  pines  of  the  hills.  When  the  warriors  ad 
vanced  to  bind  him,  however,  the  young  man  glanced  at 
Judith,  as  if  to  inquire  whether  resistance  or  submission 
were  most  advisable.  By  a  significant  gesture  she  coun 
seled  the  last  and,  in  a  minute,  he  was  once  more  fastened 
to  the  tree,  a  helpless  object  of  any  insult  or  wrong  that 
might  be  offered.  So  eagerly  did  every  one  now  act,  that 
nothing  was  said.  The  fire  was  immediately  lighted  in 
the  pile,  and  the  end  of  all  was  anxiously  expected. 

It  was  not  the  intention  of  the  Hurons  absolutely  to 
destroy  the  life  of  their  victim  by  means  of  fire.  They 
designed  merely  to  put  his  physical  fortitude  to  the 
severest  proofs  it  could  endure,  short  of  that  extremity. 
In  the  end,  they  fully  intended  to  carry  his  scalp  with 
them  into  their  village,  but  it  was  their  wish  first  to 
break  down  his  resolution,  and  to  reduce  him  to  the  level 
of  a  complaining  sufferer.  With  this  view,  the  pile  of 
brush  and  branches  had  been  placed  at  a  proper  distance, 
or  one  at  which  it  was  thought  the  heat  would  soon  be 
come  intolerable,  though  it  might  not  be  immediately 


THE   DEERSLAYER  531 

dangerous.  As  often  happened,  however,  on  these  occa 
sions,  this  distance  had  been  miscalculated,  and  the  flames 
began  to  wave  their  forked  tongues  in  a  proximity  to  the 
face  of  the  victim  that  would  have  proved  fatal  in  another 
instant,  had  not  Hetty  rushed  through  the  crowd,  armed 
with  a  stick,  and  scattered  the  blazing  pile  in  a  dozen 
directions.  More  than  one  hand  was  raised  to  strike  the 
presumptuous  intruder  to  the  earth;  but  the  chiefs  pre 
vented  the  blows,  by  reminding  their  irritated  followers 
of  the  state  of  her  mind.  Hetty,  herself,  was  insensible 
to  the  risk  she  ran;  but,  as  soon  as  she  had  performed  this 
bold  act,  she  stood  looking  about  her  in  frowning  resent 
ment,  as  if  to  rebuke  the  crowd  of  attentive  savages  for 
their  cruelty. 

"God  bless  you,  dearest  sister,  for  that  brave  and 
ready  act,"  murmured  Judith,  herself  unnerved  so  much 
as  to  be  incapable  of  exertion;  "Heaven  itself  has  sent 
you  on  its  holy  errand." 

"  'Twas  well-meant,  Judith,"  rejoined  the  victim; 
"  'twas  excellently  meant,  and  'twas  timely,  though  it 
may  prove  ontimely  in  the  ind!  What  is  to  come  to  pass 
must  come  to  pass  soon,  or  'twill  quickly  be  too  late. 
Had  I  drawn  in  one  mouthful  of  that  flame  in  breathing, 
the  power  of  man  couldn't  save  my  life;  and  you  see  that 
this  time  they've  so  bound  my  forehead  as  not  to  leave 
my  head  the  smallest  chance.  'Twas  well-meant;  but  it 
might  have  been  more  marciful  to  let  the  flames  act  their 
part." 

"Cruel,  heartless  Hurons!"  exclaimed  the  still  indig 
nant  Hetty;  "would  you  burn  a  man  and  a  Christian  as 
you  would  burn  a  log  of  wood?  Do  you  never  read  your 
Bibles?  or  do  you  think  God  will  forget  such  things?" 

A  gesture  from  Rivenoak  caused  the  scattered  brands 
to  be  collected;  fresh  wood  was  brought,  even  the  women 
and  children  busying  themselves  eagerly  in  the  gathering 
of  dried  sticks.  The  flame  was  just  kindling  a  second 
time,  when  an  Indian  female  pushed  through  the  circle, 
advanced  to  the  heap,  and  with  her  foot  dashed  aside  the 
lighted  twigs  in  time  to  prevent  the  conflagration.  A 
yell  followed  this  second  disappointment;  but  when  the 
offender  turned  towards  the  circle,  and  presented  the 


532  THE  DEERSLAYER 

countenance  of  Hist,  it  was  succeeded  by  a  commoh 
exclamation  of  pleasure  and  surprise.  For  a  minute,  all 
thought  of  pursuing  the  business  in  hand  was  forgotten, 
and  young  and  old  crowded  around  the  girl,  in  haste  to 
demand  an  explanation  of  her  sudden  and  unlooked-for 
return.  It  was  at  this  critical  instant  that  Hist  spoke  to 
Judith  in  a  low  voice,  placed  some  small  object,  unseen, 
in  her  hand,  and  then  turned  to  meet  the  salutations  of 
the  Huron  girls,  with  whom  she  was  personally  a  great 
favorite.  Judith  recovered  her  self-possession  and  acted 
promptly.  The  small,  keen-edged  knife,  that  Hist  had 
given  to  the  other,  was  passed  by  the  latter  into  the  hands 
of  Hetty,  as  the  safest  and  least-suspected  medium  of 
transferring  it  to  Deerslayer.  But  the  feeble  intellect  of 
the  last  defeated  the  well-grounded  hopes  of  all  three. 
Instead  of  first  cutting  loose  the  hands  of  the  victim,  and 
then  concealing  the  knife  in  his  clothes,  in  readiness  for 
action  at  the  most  available  instant,  she  went  to  work 
herself,  with  earnestness  and  simplicity,  to  cut  the  thongs 
that  bound  his  head,  that  he  might  not  again  be  in  danger 
of  inhaling  flames.  Of  course  this  deliberate  procedure 
was  seen,  and  the  hands  of  Hetty  were  arrested  ere  she 
had  more  than  liberated  the  upper  portion  of  the  captive's 
body,  not  including  his  arms,  below  the  elbows.  This 
discovery  at  once  pointed  distrust  towards  Hist;  and,  to 
Judith's  surprise,  when  questioned  on  the  subject,  that 
spirited  girl  was  not  disposed  to  deny  her  agency  in  what 
had  passed. 

"Why  should  I  not  help  the  Deerslayer?"  the  girl  de 
manded,  in  the  tones  of  a  firm-minded  woman.  "He  is 
the  brother  of  a  Delaware  chief;  my  heart  is  all  Dela 
ware.  Come  forth,  miserable  Briarthorn,  and  wash  the 
Iroquois  paint  from  your  face;  stand  before  the  Hurons, 
the  crow  that  you  are;  you  would  eat  the  carrion  of  your 
own  dead  rather  than  starve.  Put  him  face  to  face  with 
Deerslayer,  chiefs  and  warriors;  I  will  show  you  how 
great  a  knave  you  have  been  keeping  in  your  tribe." 

This  bold  language,  uttered  in  their  own  dialect,  and 
with  a  manner  full  of  confidence,  produced  a  deep  sensa 
tion  among  the  Hurons.  Treachery  is  always  liable  to 
distrust;  and  though  the  recreant  Briarthorn  had  en- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  533 

deavored  to  serve  the  enemy  well,  his  exertions  and 
assiduities  had  gained  for  him  little  more  than  tolera 
tion.  His  wish  to  obtain  Hist  for  a  wife  had  first  induced 
him  to  betray  her  and  his  own  people;  but  serious  rivals 
to  his  first  project  had  risen  up  among  his  new  friends, 
weakening  still  more  their  sympathies  with  treason.  In 
a  word,  Briarthorn  had  been  barely  permitted  to  remain 
in  the  Huron  encampment,  where  he  was  as  closely  and  as 
jealously  watched  as  Hist  herself;  seldom  appearing  be 
fore  the  chiefs,  and  sedulously  keeping  out  of  view  of 
Deerslayer,  who,  until  this  moment,  was  ignorant  even  of 
his  presence.  Thus  summoned,  however,  it  was  impos 
sible  to  remain  in  the  background.  "Wash  the  Iroquois 
paint  from  his  face,"  he  did  not;  for  when  he  stood  in 
the  center  of  the  circle,  he  was  so  disguised  in  these  new 
colors,  that,  at  first,  the  hunter  did  not  recognize  him. 
He  assumed  an  air  of  defiance,  notwithstanding,  and 
haughtily  demanded  what  any  could  say  against  "Briar- 
thorn." 

"Ask yourself  that,"  continued  Hist,  with  spirit,  though 
her  manner  grew  less  concentrated;  and  there  was  a 
slight  air  of  abstraction  that  became  observable  to  Deer- 
slayer  and  Judith,  if  to  no  others.  "Ask  that  of  your  own 
heart,  sneaking  woodchuck  of  the  Delawares;  come  not 
here  with  the  face  of  an  innocent  man.  Go  look  in  the 
spring;  see  the  colors  of  your  enemies  on  your  lying  skin; 
and  then  come  back  and  boast  how  you  ran  from  your 
tribe,  and  took  the  blanket  of  the  French  for  your  cover 
ing.  Paint  yourself  as  bright  as  a  humming-bird,  you 
will  still  be  black  as  the  crow." 

Hist  had  been  so  uniformly  gentle  while  living  with 
the  Hurons,  that  they  now  listened  to  her  language  with 
surprise.  As  for  the  delinquent,  his  blood  boiled  in  his 
veins;  and  it  was  well  for  the  pretty  speaker  that  it  was 
not  in  his  power  to  execute  the  revenge  he  burned  to 
inflict  on  her,  in  spite  of  his  pretended  love. 

"Who  wishes  Briarthorn?"  he  sternly  asked.  "If  this 
pale  face  is  tired  of  life;  if  afraid  of  Indian  torments, 
speak,  Rivenoak;  I  will  send  him  after  the  warriors  we 
have  lost." 

"No,  chief, — no,  Rivenoak, "  eagerly  interrupted  Hist. 


534  THE   DEERSLAYER 

.    4. 

"The  Deerslayer  fears  nothing;  least  of  all  a  crow!  Un 
bind  him — cut  his  withes — place  him  face  to  face  with 
this  cawing  bird;  then  let  us  see  which  is  tired  of  life." 

Hist  made  a  forward  movement,  as  if  to  take  a  knife 
from  a  young  man,  and  perform  the  office  she  had  men 
tioned  in  person;  but  an  aged  warrior  interposed,  at  a 
sign  from  Rivenoak.  This  chief  watched  all  the  girl  did, 
with  distrust;  for,  even  while  speaking  in  her  most  boast 
ful  language  and  in  the  steadiest  manner,  there  was  an 
air  of  uncertainty  and  expectation  about  her,  that  could 
not  escape  so  close  an  observer.  She  acted  well;  but  two 
or  three  of  the  old  men  were  equally  satisfied  that  it  was 
merely  acting.  Her  proposal  to  release  Deerslayer,  there 
fore,  was  rejected ;  and  the  disappointed  Hist  found  her 
self  driven  back  from  the  sapling  at  the  very  moment  she 
fancied  herself  about  to  be  successful.  At  the  same  time 
the  circle,  which  had  got  to  be  crowded  and  confused,  was 
enlarged,  and  brought  once  more  into  order.  Rivenoak 
now  announced  the  intention  of  the  old  men  again  to  pro 
ceed;  the  delay  having  been  continued  long  enough,  and 
leading  to  no  result. 

"Stop,  Hurons;  stay,  cniefs!"  exclaimed  Judith,  scarce 
knowing  what  she  said,  or  why  she  interposed,  unless  to 
obtain  time;  "for  God'  s  sake,  a  single  minute  longer ' ' 

The  words  were  cut  short  by  another  and  still  more 
extraordinary  interruption.  A  young  Indian  came  bound 
ing  through  the  Huron  ranks,  leaping  into  the  very  center 
of  the  circle,  in  a  way  to  denote  the  utmost  confidence,  or 
temerity  bordering  on  foolhardiness.  Five  or  six  senti 
nels  were  still  watching  the  lake  at  different  and  distant 
points;  and  it  was  the  first  impression  of  Rivenoak  that 
one  of  these  had  come  in  with  tidings  of  import.  Still, 
the  movements  of  the  f1  '^  iger  were  so  rapid,  and  his 
war-dress,  which  scarcely  left  him  more  drapery  than  an 
antique  statue,  had  so  little  distinguishing  about  it,  that, 
at  the  first  moment,  it  was  impossible  to  ascertain  whether 
he  were  friend  or  foe.  Three  leaps  carried  this  warrior 
to  the  side  of  Deerslayer,  whose  withes  were  cut  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  with  a  quickness  and  precision  that 
left  the  prisoner  perfect  master  of  his  limbs.  Not  till 
this  was  effected  did  the  stranger  bestow  a  glance  on  any 


THE   DEERSLAYER  535 

V,  '"- 

other  object;  then  he  turned  and  showed  the  astonished 
Hurons  the  noble  brow,  fine  person,  and  eagle  eye  of  a 
young  warrior,  in  the  paint  and  panoply  of  a  Delaware. 
He  held  a  rifle  in  each  hand,  the  butts  of  both  resting  on 
the  earth,  while  from  one  dangled  its  proper  pouch  and 
horn.  This  was  Killdeer,  which  even  as  he  looked  boldly 
and  in  defiance  on  the  crowd  around  him,  he  suffered  to 
fall  back  into  the  hands  of  the  proper  owner.  The  pres 
ence  of  two  armed  men,  though  it  was  in  their  midst, 
startled  the  Hurons.  Their  rifles  were  scattered  about 
against  the  different  trees,  and  their  only  weapons  were 
their  knives  and  tomahawks.  Still,  they  had  too  much 
self-possession  to  betray  fear.  It  was  little  likely  that  so 
small  a  force  would  assail  so  strong  a  band;  and  each 
man  expected  some  extraordinary  proposition  to  succeed 
so  decisive  a  step.  The  stranger  did  not  seem  disposed 
to  disappoint  them;  he  prepared  to  speak. 

"Hurons,"  he  said,  "this earth  is  very  big.  The  great 
lakes  are  big,  too;  there  is  room  beyond  them  for  the 
Iroquois;  there  is  room  for  the  Delawares  on  this  side.  I 
am  Chingachgook,  the  son  of  Uncas;  the  kinsman  of  Tam- 
enund.  This  is  my  betrothed;  that  pale  face  is  my  friend. 
My  heart  was  heavy  when  I  missed  him.  All  the  Dela 
ware  girls  are  waiting  for  Wah;  they  wonder  that  she 
stays  away  so  long.  Come,  let  us  say  farewell,  and  go  on 
our  path." 

"Hurons,  this  is  your  mortal  enemy,  the  Great  Serpent 
of  them  you  hate!"  cried  Briarthorn.  "If  he  escape, 
blood  will  be  in  your  moccasin  prints  from  this  spot  to 
the  Canadas.  I  am  all  Huron." 

As  the  last  words  were  uttered,  the  traitor  cast  his 
knife  at  the  naked  breast  of  the  Delaware.  A  quick 
movement  of  the  arm,  on  the  part  of  Hist,  who  stood 
near,  turned  aside  the  blow,  the  dangerous  weapon  bury 
ing  its  point  in  a  pine.  At  the  next  instant,  a  similar 
weapon  glanced  from  the  hand  of  the  Serpent,  and  quiv 
ered  in  the  recreant's  heart.  A  minute  had  scarcely 
elapsed  from  the  moment  in  which  Chingachgook  bounded 
into  the  circle,  and  that  in  which  Briarthorn  fell,  like  a 
dog,  dead  in  his  tracks.  The  rapidity  of  events  prevented 
the  Hurons  from  acting;  but  this  catastrophe  permitted 


536  THE   DEERSLAYER 

no  further  delay.  A  common  exclamation  followed,  and 
the  whole  party  was  in  motion.  At  this  instant,  a  sound 
unusual  to  the  woods  was  heard,  and  every  Huron,  male 
and  female,  paused  to  listen,  with  ears  erect  and  faces 
filled  with  expectation.  The  sound  was  regular  and  heavy, 
as  if  the  earth  were  struck  with  beetles.  Objects  became 
visible  among  the  trees  of  the  background,  and  a  body  of 
troops  was  seen  advancing  with  measured  tread.  They 
came  upon  the.  charge,  the  scarlet  of  the  king's  livery 
shining  among  the  bright  green  foliage  of  the  forest. 

The  scene  that  followed  is  not  easily  described.  It  was 
one  in  which  wild  confusion,  despair,  and  frenzied  efforts 
were  so  blended  as  to  destroy  the  unity  and  distinctness 
of  the  action.  A  general  yell  burst  from  the  inclosed 
Hurons;  it  was  succeeded  by  the  hearty  cheers  of  England. 
Still,  not  a  musket  or  rifle  was  fired,  though  that  steady, 
measured  tramp  continued,  and  the  bayonet  was  seen 
gleaming  in  advance  of  a  line  that  counted  nearly  sixty 
men.  The  Hurons  were  taken  at  a  fearful  disadvantage. 
On  three  sides  was  water,  while  their  formidable  mid 
trained  foes  cut  them  off  from  flight  on  the  fourth.  Each 
warrior  rushed  for  his  arms,  and  then  all  on  the  point, 
man,  woman,  and  child,  eagerly  sought  the  covers.  Jn 
this  scene  of  confusion  and  dismay,  however,  nothing 
could  surpass  the  discretion  and  coolness  of  Deerslayer. 
His  first  care  was  to  place  Judith  and  Hist  behind 
trees,  and  he  looked  for  Hetty;  but  she  had  been  hurried 
away  in  the  crowd  of  Huron  women.  This  effected, 
he  threw  himself  on  a  flank  of  the  retiring  Hurons, 
who  were  inclining  off  towards  the  southern  margin 
of  the  point,  in  the  hope  of  escaping  through  the  water. 
Deerslayer  watched  his  opportunity,  and  finding  two  of 
his  recent  tormentors  in  a  range,  his  rifle  first  broke 
the  silence  of  the  terrific  scene.  The  bullet  brought 
down  both  at  one  discharge.  This  drew  a  general  fire 
from  the  Hurons,  and  the  rifle  and  war-cry  of  the  Serpent 
were  heard  in  the  clamor.  Still  the  trained  men  returned 
no  answering  volley,  the  whoop  and  piece  of  Hurry  alone 
being  heard  on  their  side,  if  we  except  the  short,  prompt 
word  of  authority,  and  that  heavy,  measured,  and  menac 
ing  tread.  Presently,  however,  the  shrieks,  groans,  and 


THE   DEERSLAYER  537 

denunciations  that  usually  accompany  the  use  of  the  bay 
onet,  followed.  That  terrible  and  deadly  weapon  was 
glutted  in  vengeance.  The  scene  that  succeeded  was  one 
of  those,  of  which  so  many  have  occurred  in  our  own 
times,  in  which  neither  age  nor  sex  forms  an  exemption 
to  the  lot  of  a  savage  warfare. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

"The  flower  that  smiles  to-day, 

To-morrow  dies; 
All  that  we  wish  to  stay, 
Tempts  and  then  flies; 
What  is  this  world's  delight  ? 
Lightning  that  mocks  the  night, 
Brief  even  as  bright." 

— SHELLKY. 

THE  picture  next  presented  by  the  point  of  land  that 
the  unfortunate  Hurons  had  selected  for  their  last  place 
of  encampment,  need  scarcely  be  laid  before  the  eyes  of 
the  reader.  Happily  for  the  more  tender-minded  and  the 
more  timid,  the  trunks  of  the  trees,  the  leaves,  and  the 
smoke,  had  concealed  much  of  that  which  passed;  and 
night  shortly  after  drew  its  veil  over  the  lake,  and  the 
whole  of  that  seemingly  interminable  wilderness,  which 
may  be  said  to  have  then  stretched,  with  few  and  imma 
terial  interruptions,  from  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  to  the 
shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Our  business  carries  us  into 
the  following  day,  when  light  returned«upon  the  earth,  as 
sunny  and  as  smiling  as  if  nothing  extraordinary  had 
occurred. 

When  the  sun  rose  on  the  following  morning,  every  sign 
of  hostility  and  alarm  had  vanished  from  the  basin  of  the 
Glimmerglass.  The  frightful  event  of  the  preceding  eve 
ning  had  left  no  impression  on  the  placid  sheet,  and  the 
untiring  hours  pursued  their  course  in  the  placid  order 
prescribed  by  the  powerful  Hand  that  set  them  in  motion. 
The  birds  were  again  skimming  the  water,  or  were  seen 
poised  on  the  wing  high  above  the  tops  of  the  tallest 
pines  of  the  mountains,  ready  to  make  their  swoops  in 
obedience  to  the  irresistible  laws  of  their  nature.  In  a 
word,  nothing  was  changed  but  the  air  of  movement  and 
life  that  prevailed  in  and  around  the  castle.  Here,  in 
deed,  was  an  alteration  that  must  have  struck  the  least 
observant  eye.  A  sentinel,  who  wore  the  light  infantry 

538 


THE   DEERSLAYER  539 

uniform  of  a  royal  regiment,  paced  the  platform  with 
measured  tread,  and  some  twenty  men  of  the  same  corps 
lounged  about  the  place,  or  were  seated  in  the  ark.  Their 
arms  were  stacked  under  the  eye  of  their  comrade  on 
post.  Two  officers  stood  examining  the  shore  with  the 
ship's  glass  so  often  mentioned.  Their  looks  were  directed 
to  that  fatal  point,  where  scarlet  coats  were  still  to  be 
seen  gliding  among  the  trees,  and  where  the  magnifying 
power  of  the  instrument  also  showed  spades  at  work,  and 
the  sad  duty  of  interment  going  on.  Several  of  the  com 
mon  men  bore  proof  on  their  persons  that  their  enemies 
had  not  been  overcome  entirely  without  resistance;  and 
the  youngest  of  the  two  officers  on  the  platform  wore  an 
arm  in  a  sling.  His  companion,  who  commanded  the 
party,  had  been  more  fortunate.  He  it  was  that  used  the 
glass,  in  making  the  reconnoissances  in  which  the  two 
were  engaged. 

A  sergeant  approached  to  make  a  report.  He  addressed 
the  senior  of  these  officers  as  Captain  Warley,  while  the 
other  was  alluded  to  as  Mr. — which  was  equivalent  to  En 
sign — Thornton.  The  former,  it  will  at  once  be  seen,  was 
the  officer  who  had  been  named  with  so  much  feeling  in 
the  parting  dialogue  between  Judith  and  Hurry.  He  was, 
in  truth,  the  very  individual  with  whom  the  scandal  of 
the  garrisons  had  most  freely  connected  the  name  of  this 
beautiful  but  indiscreet  girl.  He  was  a  hard-featured, 
red-faced  man,  of  about  five-and-thirty,  but  of  a  military 
carriage,  and  with  an  air  of  fashion  that  might  easily 
impose  on  the  imagination  of  one  as  ignorant  of  the  world 
as  Judith. 

"Craig  is  covering  us  with  benedictions,"  observed  this 
person  to  his  young  ensign,  with  an  air  of  indifference, 
as  he  shut  the  glass  and  handed  it  to  his  servant;  "to  say 
the  truth,  not  without  reason;  it  is  certainly  more  agree 
able  to  be  here  in  attendance  on  Miss  Judith  Hutter,  than 
to  be  burying  Indians  on  a  point  of  the  lake,  however 
romantic  the  position  or  brilliant  the  victory.  By  the 
way,  Wright,  is  Davis  still  living?" 

"He  died  about  ten  minutes  since,  your  honor,"  re 
turned  the  sergeant,  to  whom  this  question  was  addressed. 
"I  knew  how  it  would  be,  as  soon  as  I  found  the  bullet 


540  THE   DEERSLAYER 

had  touched  the  stomach.  I  never  knew  a  man  who  could 
hold  out  long,  if  he  had  a  hole  in  his  stomach." 

"No;  it  is  rather  inconvenient  for  carrying  away  any 
thing  very  nourishing,"  observed  Warley,  gaping.  "This 
being  up  two  nights  de  suite,  Arthur,  plays  the  devil 
with  a  man's  faculties!  I'm  as  stupid  as  one  of  those 
Dutch  parsons  on  the  Mohawk — I  hope  your  arm  is  not 
painful,  my  dear  boy?" 

"It  draws  a  few  grimaces  from  me,  sir,  as  I  suppose 
you  see,"  answered  the  youth,  laughing  at  the  very 
moment  his  countenance  was  a  little  awry  with  pain. 
"But  it  may  be  borne.  I  suppose  Graham  can  spare  a  few 
minutes,  soon,  to  look  at  my  hurt." 

"She  is  a  lovely  creature,  this  Judith  Hutter,  after  all, 
Thornton;  and  it  shall  not  be  my  fault,  if  she  is  not  seen 
and  admired  in  the  parks!"  resumed  Warley,  who  thought 
little  of  his  companion's  wound.  "Your  arm,  eh!  Quite 
true.  Go  into  the  ark,  sergeant,  and  tell  Dr.  Graham  I 
desire  he  would  look  at  Mr.  Thornton's  injury  as  soon  as 
he  has  done  with  the  poor  fellow  with  the  broken  leg.  A 
lovely  creature!  and  she  looked  like  a  queen  in  that  bro 
cade  dress  in  which  we  met  her.  I  find  all  changed  here; 
father  and  mother  both  gone,  the  sister  dying,  if  not 
dead,  and  none  of  the  family  left  but  the  beauty!  This 
has  been  a  lucky  expedition  all  round,  and  promises  to 
terminate  better  than  Indian  skirmishes  in  general." 

"Am  I  to  suppose,  sir,  that  you  are  about  to  desert 
your  colors,  in  the  great  corps  of  bachelors,  and  close  the 
campaign  with  matrimony?" 

"I,  Tom  Warley,  turn  Benedict!  Faith,  my  dear  boy, 
you  little  know  the  corps  you  speak  of,  if  you  fancy  any 
such  thing.  I  do  suppose  there  are  women  in  the  colonies 
that  a  captain  of  light-infantry  need  not  disdain;  but  they 
are  not  to  be  found  up  here  on  a  mountain  lake;  or  even 
down  on  the  Dutch  river  where  we  are  posted.  It  is  true 
my  uncle,  the  general,  once  did  me  the  favor  to  choose  a 
wife  for  me,  in  Yorkshire;  but  she  had  no  beauty — and  I 
would  not  marry  a  princess  unless  she  were  handsome." 

"If  handsome,  you  would  marry  a  beggar?" 

"Ay,  these  are  the  notions  of  an  ensign!  Love  in  a 
cottage — doors — and  windows — the  old  story,  for  the 


THE   DEERSLAYER  541 

hundredth  time.  The  twenty — th  don't  marry.  We  are 
not  a  marrying  corps,  my  dear  boy.  There's  the  colonel, 

old  Sir  Edwin ,  now;  though  a  full  general,  he  has 

never  thought  of  a  wife;  and  when  a  man  gets  as  high  as  a 
lieutenant-general,  without  matrimony,  he  is  pretty  safe. 
Then  the  lieutenant-colonel  is  confirmed,  as  I  tell  my 
cousin,  the  bishop.  The  major  is  a  widower,  having  tried 
matrimony  for  twelve  months  in  his  youth;  and  we  look 
upon  him,  now,  as  one  of  our  most  certain  men.  Out  of 
ten  captains,  but  one  is  in  the  dilemma;  and  he,  poor 
devil,  is  always  kept  at  regimental  headquarters,  as  a 
sort  of  memento  mori  to  the  young  men  as  they  join.  As 
for  the  subalterns,  not  one  has  ever  yet  had  the  audacity 
to  speak  of  introducing  a  wife  into  the  regiment.  But 
your  arm  is  troublesome,  and  we'll  go  ourselves  and  see 
what  has  become  of  Graham." 

The  surgeon  who  had  accompanied  the  party  was  em 
ployed  very  differently  from  what  the  captain  supposed. 
When  the  assault  was  over,  and  the  dead  and  wounded 
were  collected,  poor  Hetty  had  been  found  among  the 
latter.  A  rifle-bullet  had  passed  through  her  body,  in 
flicting  an  injury  that  was  known  at  a  glance  to  be  mor 
tal.  How  this  wound  was  received,  no  one  knew;  it  was 
probably  one  of  those  casualties  that  ever  accompany 
scenes  like  that  related  in  the  previous  chapter.  The 
Sumach,  all  the  elderly  women,  and  some  of  the  Huron 
girls,  had  fallen  by  the  bayonet;  either  in  the  confusion 
of  the  melee,  or  from  the  difficulty  of  distinguishing  the 
sexes,  where  the  dress  was  so  simple.  Much  the  greater 
portion  of  the  warriors  suffered  on  the  spot.  A  few  had 
escaped,  however,  and  two  or  three  had  been  taken  un 
harmed.  As  for  the  wounded,  the  bayonet  saved  the 
surgeon  much  trouble.  Rivenoak  had  escaped  with  life 
and  limb;  but  was  injured  and  a  prisoner.  As  Captain 
Warley  and  his  ensign  went  into  the  ark,  they  passed 
him,  seated  in  dignified  silence,  in  one  end  of  the  scow, 
his  head  and  leg  bound,  but  betraying  no  visible  signs  of 
despondency  or  despair.  That  he  mourned  the  loss  of  his 
tribe,  is  certain;  still,  he  did  it  in  a  manner  that  best 
became  a  warrior  and  a  chief. 

The  two  soldiers  found  their  surgeon  in  the  principal 


542  THE   DEERSLAYER 

room  of  the  ark.  He  was  just  quitting  the  pallet  of 
Hetty,  with  an  expression  of  sorrowful  regret  on  his 
hard,  pock-marked,  Scottish  features,  that  it  was  not 
usual  to  see  there.  All  his  assiduity  had  been  useless, 
and  he  was  compelled  reluctantly  to  abandon  the  expecta 
tion  of  seeing  the  girl  survive  many  hours.  Dr.  Graham 
was  accustomed  to  death-bed  scenes,  and  ordinarily  they 
produced  but  little  impression  on  him.  In  all  that  relates 
to  religion,  his  was  one  of  those  minds  which,  in  conse 
quence  of  reasoning  much  on  material  things,  logically 
and  consecutively,  and  overlooking  the  total  want  of 
premises  which  such  a  theory  must  ever  possess,  through 
its  want  of  a  primary  agent,  had  become  skeptical;  leav 
ing  a  vague  opinion  concerning  the  origin  of  things,  that 
with  high  pretensions  to  philosophy,  failed  in  the  first  of 
all  philosophical  principles,  a  cause.  To  him  religious 
dependence  appeared  a  weakness;  but  when  he  found  one 
gentle  and  young  like  Hetty,  with  a  mind  beneath  the 
level  of  her  race,  sustained  at  such  a  moment  by  these 
pious  sentiments,  and  that,  too,  in  a  way  that  many  a 
sturdy  warrior  and  reputed  hero  might  have  looked  upon 
with  envy,  he  found  himself  affected  by  the  sight,  to  a 
degree  that  he  would  have  been  ashamed  to  confess. 
Edinburgh  and  Aberdeen,  then  as  now,  supplied  no  small 
portion  of  the  medical  men  of  the  British  service;  and 
Dr.  Graham,  as  indeed  his  name  and  countenance  equally 
indicated,  was,  by  birth,  a  North  Briton. 

"Here  is  an  extraordinary  exhibition  for  a  forest,  and 
one  but  half-gifted  with  reason,"  he  observed,  with  a 
decided  Scotch  accent,  as  Warley  and  the  ensign  entered; 
"I  just  hope,  gentlemen,  that  when  we  three  shall  be 
called  on  to  quit  the  twenty — th,  we  may  be  found  as  re 
signed  to  go  on  the  half-pay  of  another  existence  as  this 
poor  demented  chiel!" 

"Is  there  no  hope  that  she  can  survive  the  hurt?"  de 
manded  Warley,  turning  his  eyes  towards  the  pallid 
Judith,  on  whose  cheeks,  however,  two  large  spots  of  red 
had  settled  as  soon  as  he  came  into  the  cabin. 

"No  more  than  there  is  for  Chairlie  Stuart.  Approach 
and  judge  for  yourselves,  gentlemen;  ye'll  see  faith  ex 
emplified  in  an  exceeding  and  wonderful  manner.  There 


THE   DEERSLAYER  543 

is  a  sort  of  arbitrium  between  life  and  death,  in  actual 
conflict  in  the  poor  girl's  mind,  that  renders  her  an  inter 
esting  study  to  a  philosopher.  Mr.  Thornton,  I'm  at  your 
service  now;  we  can  just  look  at  the  arm,  in  the  next  room, 
while  we  speculate  as  much  as  we  please  on  the  operations 
and  sinuosities  of  the  human  mind." 

The  surgeon  and  ensign  retired,  and  Warley  had  an 
opportunity  of  looking  about  him  more  at  leisure,  and 
with  a  better  understanding  of  the  nature  and  feelings  of 
the  group  collected  in  the  cabin.  Poor  Hetty  had  been 
placed  on  her  own  simple  bed,  and  was  reclining  in  a 
half-seated  attitude,  with  the  approaches  of  death  on  her 
countenance,  though  they  were  singularly  dimmed  by  the 
luster  of  an  expression,  in  which  all  the  intelligence  of  her 
entire  being  appeared  to  be  concentrated.  Judith  and 
Hist  were  near  her;  the  former  seated  in  deep  grief,  the 
latter  standing,  in  readiness  to  offer  any  of  the  gentle 
attentions  of  feminine  care.  Deerslayer  stood  at  the  end 
of  the  pallet,  leaning  on  Killdeer,  unharmed  in  person; 
all  the  fine,  martial  ardor  that  had  so  lately  glowed  in  his 
countenance,  having  given  place  to  the  usual  look  of  hon 
esty  and  benevolence;  qualities  of  which  the  expression 
was  now  softened  by  manly  regret  and  pity.  The  Serpent 
was  in  the  background  of  the  picture,  erect  and  motionless 
as  a  statue;  but  so  observant,  that  not  a  look  of  the  eye 
escaped  his  own  keen  glance.  Hurry  completed  the  group; 
being  seated  on  a  stool  near  the  door,  like  one  who  felt 
himself  out  of  place  in  such  a  scene,  but  who  was  ashamed 
to  quit  it  unbidden. 

"Who  is  that  in  scarlet?"  asked  Hetty,  as  soon  as  the 
captain's  uniform  caught  her  eye.  "Tell  me,  Judith,  is 
it  the  friend  of  Hurry?" 

"  'Tis  the  officer  who  commands  the  troops,  that  have 
rescued  us  all  from  the  hands  of  the  Hurons, ' '  was  the 
low  answer  of  the  sister. 

"Am  I  rescued,  too?  I  thought  they  said  I  was  shot, 
and  about  to  die.  Mother  is  dead,  and  so  is  father;  but 
you  are  living,  Judith,  and  so  is  Hurry.  I  was  afraid 
Hurry  would  be  killed,  when  I  heard  him  shouting  among 
the  soldiers." 

"Never  mind — never  mind,  dear  Hetty,"  interrupted 


544  THE   DEERSLAYER 

Judith,  sensitively  alive  to  the  preservation  of  her  sister's 
secret,  more,  perhaps,  at  such  a  moment  than  at  any 
other.  "Hurry  is  well,  and  Deerslayer  is  well,  and  the 
Delaware  is  well,  too." 

"How  came  they  to  shoot  a  poor  girl  like  me,  and  let 
so  many  men  go  unharmed?  I  didn't  know  that  the 
Hurons  were  so  wicked,  Judith?" 

"  'Twas  an  accident,  poor  Hetty;  a  sad  accident  it  has 
been!  No  one  would  willingly  have  injured  you." 

"I'm  glad  of  that — I  thought  it  strange;  I  am  feeble 
minded,  and  the  red  men  have  never  harmed  me  before. 
I  should  be  sorry  to  think  that  they  had  changed  their 
minds.  I  am  glad,  too,  Judith,  that  they  haven't  hurt 
Hurry.  Deerslayer  I  don't  think  God  will  suffer  any  one 
to  harm.  It  was  very  fortunate  the  soldiers  came  as  they 
did,  though,  for  fire  will  burn!" 

"It  was  indeed  fortunate,  my  sister;  God's  holy  name 
be  forever  blessed  for  the  mercy ! ' ' 

"I  dare  say,  Judith,  you  know  some  of  the  officers;  you 
used  to  know  so  many. ' ' 

Judith  made  no  reply;  she  hid  her  face  in  her  hands 
and  groaned.  Hetty  gazed  at  her  in  wonder;  but  natu 
rally  supposing  her  own  situation  was  the  cause  of  this 
grief,  she  kindly  offered  to  console  her  sister. 

"Don't  mind  me,  dear  Judith,"  said  the  affectionate 
and  pure-hearted  creature,  "I  don't  suffer,  if  I  do  die; 
why,  father  and  mother  are  both  dead,  and  what  happens 
to  them  may  well  happen  to  me.  You  know  I  am  of  less 
account  than  any  of  the  family;  therefore,  few  will  think 
of  me  after  I'm  in  the  lake." 

"No,  no,  no — poor,  dear,  dear,  Hetty!"  exclaimed 
Judith,  in  an  uncontrollable  burst  of  sorrow.  "I,  at 
least,  will  ever  think  of  you;  and  gladly,  oh,  how  gladly, 
would  I  exchange  places  with  you,  to  be  the  pure,  excel 
lent,  sinless  creature  you  are!" 

Until  now,  Captain  Warley  had  stood  leaning  against 
the  door  of  the  cabin;  when  this  outbreak  of  feeling,  and 
perchance  of  penitence,  escaped  the  beautiful  girl,  he 
walked  slowly  and  thoughtfully  away;  even  passing  the 
ensign,  then  suffering  under  the  surgeon's  care,  without 
noticing  him. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  545 

"I  have  got  my  Bible  here,  Judith!"  returned  her  sister 
in  a  voice  of  triumph.  "It's  true,  I  can't  read  any  longer; 
there's  something  the  matter  with  my  eyes — you  look  dim 
and  distant — and  so  does  Hurry,  now  I  look  at  him;  well, 
I  never  could  have  believed  that  Henry  March  would  have 
so  dull  a  look.  What  can  be  the  reason,  Judith,  that  I 
see  so  badly  to-day?  I,  who  mother  always  said  had  the 
best  eyes  in  the  whole  family.  Yes,  that  was  it;  my  mind 
was  feeble — what  people  called  half-witted — but  my  eyes 
were  so  good." 

Again  Judith  groaned;  this  time  no  feeling  of  self,  no 
retrospect  of  the  past,  caused  the  pain.  It  was  the  pure, 
heartfelt  sorrow  of  sisterly  love,  heightened  by  a  sense  of 
the  meek  humility  and  perfect  truth  of  the  being  before 
her.  At  that  moment,  she  would  gladly  have  given  up 
her  own  life  to  save  that  of  Hetty.  As  the  last,  however, 
was  beyond  the  reach  of  human  power,  she  felt  there  was 
nothing  left  her  but  sorrow.  At  this  moment  Warley 
returned  to  the  cabin,  drawn  by  a  secret  impulse  he  could 
not  withstand,  though  he  felt,  just  then,  as  if  he  would 
gladly  abandon  the  American  continent  forever,  were  it 
practicable.  Instead  of  pausing  at  the  door,  he  now 
advanced  so  near  the  pallet  of  the  sufferer  as  to  come 
more  plainly  within  her  gaze.  Hetty  could  still  distin 
guish  large  objects,  and  her  look  fastened  on  him. 

"Are  you  the  officer  that  came  with  Hurry?"  she  asked. 
"If  you  are,  we  ought  all  to  thank  you;  for  though  I  am 
hurt,  the  rest  have  saved  their  lives.  Did  Harry  March 
tell  you  where  to  find  us,  and  how  much  need  there  was 
for  your  services?" 

"The  news  of  the  party  reached  us  by  means  of  a 
friendly  runner,"  returned  the  captain,  glad  to  relieve 
his  feelings  by  this  appearance  of  a  friendly  communica 
tion;  "and  I  was  immediately  sent  out  to  cut  it  off.  It  was 
fortunate,  certainly,  that  we  met  Hurry  Harry,  as  you 
call  him,  for  he  acted  as  a  guide;  and  it  was  not  less  for 
tunate  that  we  heard  a  firing,  which  I  now  understand 
was  merely  a  shooting  at  the  mark,  for  it  not  only  quick 
ened  our  march,  but  called  us  to  the  right  side  of  the 
lake.  The  Delaware  saw  us  on  the  shore,  with  the  glass, 
it  would  seem ;  and  he  and  Hist,  as  I  find  his  squaw  is 
35 


ac-tsff 
E 


- 


• 


_          L-~  — •     :    :.  -    - 


. 


_  -. 


::     : 


:  - 


i.  ise 
Btsr 

• 


548  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"Don't  grieve  for  me  so  much,  Judith, "  said  the  gentle 
sufferer,  after  a  pause  in  her  remarks;  "I  shall  soon  see 
mother;  I  think  I  see  her  now;  her  face  is  just  as  sweet 
and  smiling  as  it  used  to  be!  Perhaps  when  I'm  dead, 
God  will  give  me  all  my  mind,  and  I  shall  become  a  more 
fitting  companion  for  mother  than  I  ever  was  before." 

"You  will  be  an  angel  in  heaven,  Hetty,"  sobbed  the 
sister;  "no  spirit  there  will  be  more  worthy  of  its  holy 
residence!" 

"I  don't  understand  it  quite;  still  I  know  it  must  be 
all  true;  I've  read  it  in  the  Bible.  How  dark  it's  becom 
ing!  Can  it  be  night  so  soon?  I  can  hardly  see  you  at 
all;  where  is  Hist?" 

"I  here,  poor  girl;  why  you  no  see  me?" 

"I  do  see  you;  but  I  couldn't  tell  whether  'twas  you  or 
Judith.  I  believe  I  shan't  see  you  much  longer,  Hist." 

"Sorry  for  that,  poor  Hetty.  Never  mind;  pale  face 
got  a  heaven  for  girl  as  well  as  for  warrior." 

"Where's  the  Serpent?  Let  me  speak  to  him;  give  me 
his  hand;  so;  I  feel  it.  Delaware,  you  will  love  and  cher 
ish  this  young  Indian  woman;  I  know  how  fond  she  is  of 
you;  and  you  must  be  fond  of  her.  Don't  treat  her  as 
some  people  treat  their  wives;  be  a  real  husband  to  her. 
Now  bring  Deerslayer  near  me;  give  me  his  hand." 

This  request  was  complied  with,  and  the  hunter  stood 
by  the  side  of  the  pallet,  submitting  to  the  wishes  of  the 
girl  with  the  docility  of  a  child. 

"I  feel,  Deerslayer,"  she  resumed,  "though  I  couldn't 
tell  why — but  I  feel  that  you  and  I  are  not  going  to  part 
forever.  "Pis  a  strange  feeling!  I  never  had  it  before; 
I  wonder  what  it  comes  from!" 

'  'Tis  God  encouraging  you  in  extremity,  Hetty;  as  such 
it  ought  to  be  harbored  and  respected.  Yes,  we  shall 
meet  ag'in,  though  it  may  be  a  long  time  first,  and  in  a 
far  distant  land." 

"Do  you  mean  to  be  buried  in  the  lake  too?  If  so, 
that  may  account  for  the  feeling." 

;  'Tis  little  likely,  gal,  'tis  little  likely;  but  there's  a 
region  for  Christian  souls  where  there's  no  lakes  nor 
woods,  they  say;  though  why  there  should  be  none  of  the 
last,  is  more  than  I  can  account  for;  seeing  that  pleasant- 


THE    DEERSLAYER  549 

ness  and  peace  is  the  object  in  view.  My  grave  will  be 
found  in  the  forest,  most  likely,  but  I  hope  my  spirit  will 
not  be  far  from  your'n. " 

"So  it  must  be,  then.  I  am  too  weak-minded  to  under 
stand  these  things,  but  I  feel  that  you  and  I  will  meet 
again.  Sister,  where  are  you?  I  can't  see  now  anything 
but  darkness.  It  must  be  night,  surely!" 

"Oh!  Hetty,  I  am  here  at  your  side;  these  are  my  arms 
that  are  round  you,"  sobbed  Judith.  "Speak,  dearest; 
is  there  anything  you  wish  to  say,  or  have  done,  in  this 
awful  moment!" 

By  this  time  Hetty's  sight  had  entirely  failed  her. 
Nevertheless,  death  approached  with  less  than  usual  of  its 
horrors,  as  if  in  tenderness  to  one  of  her  half-endowed 
faculties.  She  was  pale  as  a  corpse  but  her  breathing  was 
easy  and  unbroken,  while  her  voice,  though  lowered  al 
most  to  a  whisper,  remained  clear  and  distinct.  When 
her  sister  put  this  question,  however,  a  blush  diffused 
itself  over  the  features  of  the  dying  girl;  so  faint,  how 
ever,  as  to  be  nearly  imperceptible;  resembling  that  hue 
of  the  rose  which  is  thought  to  portray  the  tint  of  mod 
esty,  rather  than  the  dye  of  the  flower  in  its  richer  bloom. 
No  one  but  Judith  detected  this  expression  of  feeling,  one 
of  the  gentle  expressions  of  womanly  sensibility,  even  in 
death.  On  her,  however,  it  was  not  lost,  nor  did  she 
conceal  from  herself  the  cause. 

"Hurry  is  here,  dearest  Hetty,"  whispered  the  sister, 
with  her  face  so  near  the  sufferer  as  to  keep  the  words 
from  other  ears.  "Shall  I  tell  him  to  come  and  receive 
your  good  wishes?" 

A  gentle  pressure  of  the  hand  answered  in  the  affirma 
tive,  and  then  Hurry  was  brought  to  the  side  of  the  pallet. 
It  is  probable  that  this  handsome  but  rude  woodsman  had 
never  before  found  himself  so  awkwardly  placed,  though 
the  inclination  which  Hetty  felt  for  him  (a  sort  of  secret 
yielding  to  the  instincts  of  nature,  rather  than  any  un 
becoming  impulse  of  an  ill-regulated  imagination),  was 
too  pure  and  unobtrusive  to  have  created  the  slightest 
suspicion  of  the  circumstance  in  his  mind.  He  allowed 
Judith  to  put  his  hard,  colossal  hand  between  those  of 
Hetty,  and  stood  waiting  the  result  in  awkward  silence. 


550  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"This  is  Hurry,  dearest,"  whispered  Judith,  bending 
over  her  sister,  ashamed  to  utter  the  words  so  as  to  be 
audible  to  herself;  "speak  to  him,  and  let  him  go." 

"What  shall  I  say,  Judith?" 

"Nay,  whatever  your  own  pure  spirit  teaches,  my  love. 
Trust  to  that,  and  you  need  fear  nothing." 

"Good-by,  Hurry,"  murmured  the  girl,  with  a  gentle 
pressure  of  his  hand.  "I  wish  you  would  try  and  be  more 
like  Deerslayer." 

These  words  were  uttered  with  difficulty;  a  faint  flush 
succeeded  them  for  a  single  instant,  then  the  hand  was 
relinquished,  and  Hetty  turned  her  face  aside  as  if  done 
with  the  world.  The  mysterious  feeling  that  bound  her 
to  the  young  man,  a  sentiment  so  gentle  as  to  be  almost 
imperceptible  to  herself,  and  which  could  never  have  ex 
isted  at  all,  had  her  reason  possessed  more  command  over 
her  senses,  was  forever  lost  in  thoughts  of  a  more  elevated 
though  scarcely  of  a  purer  character. 

"Of  what  are  you  thinking,  my  sweet  sister?"  whis 
pered  Judith;  "tell  me,  that  I  may  aid  you  at  this  mo 
ment." 

"Mother — I  see  mother,  now,  and  bright  beings  around 
her  in  the  lake.  Why  isn't  father  there?  It's  odd  that  I 
can  see  mother  when  I  can't  see  you!  Farewell,  Judith." 

The  last  words  were  uttered  after  a  pause,  and  her 
sister  had  hung  over  her  some  time,  in  anxious  watchful 
ness,  before  she  perceived  that  the  gentle  spirit  had 
departed.  Thus  died  Hetty  Hutter,  one  of  those  myste 
rious  links  between  the  material  and  immaterial  world, 
which,  while  they  appear  to  be  deprived  of  so  much  that 
is  esteemed  and  necessary  for  this  state  of  being,  draw  so 
near  to,  and  offer  so  beautiful  an  illustration  of  the  truth, 
purity,  and  simplicity  of  another. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

**  A  baron's  chyldc  to  be  begykle  !  it  were  a  cursed  dede ; 
To  be  f elawe  with  an  outlawe  !  Almighty  God  forbede  ! 
Yea,  better  were,  the  poor  squyere,  alone  to  forest  yede. 
Than  ye  eholde  say,  another  day,  that  by  my  cursed  dede 
Ye  were  betrayed  ;  wherefore,  good  mayde,  the  best  rede  that  I  can 
Is,  that  I  to  the  grene  wode  go,  alone,  a  bany shed  man.' ' 

— NOTBROWNB  MAYDE. 

THE  day  that  followed  proved  to  be  melancholy,  though 
one  of  much  activity.  The  soldiers,  who  had  so  lately 
been  employed  in  interring  their  victims,  were  now  called 
on  to  bury  their  own  dead.  The  scene  of  the  morning  had 
left  a  saddened  feeling  on  all  the  gentlemen  of  the  party, 
and  the  rest  felt  the  influence  of  a  similar  sensation,  in  a 
variety  of  ways,  and  from  many  causes.  Hour  dragged 
on  after  hour  until  evening  arrived,  and  then  came  the 
last  melancholy  offices,  in  honor  of  poor  Hetty  Hutter. 
Her  body  was  laid  in  the  lake  by  the  side  of  that  of  the 
mother  she  had  so  loved  and  reverenced;  the  surgeon, 
though  actually  an  unbeliever,  so  far  complying  with  the 
received  decencies  of  life,  as  to  read  the  funeral  service 
over  her  grave,  as  he  had  previously  done  over  those  of 
the  other  Christian  slain.  It  mattered  not;  that  all-see 
ing  eye  which  reads  the  heart,  could  not  fail  to  discrim 
inate  between  the  living  and  the  dead,  and  the  gentle 
soul  of  the  unfortunate  girl  was  already  far  removed  be 
yond  the  errors  or  deceptions  of  any  human  ritual.  These 
simple  rites,  however,  were  not  wholly  wanting  in  suit 
able  accompaniments.  The  tears  of  Judith  and  Hist  were 
shed  freely,  and  Deerslayer  gazed  upon  the  limpid  water 
that  now  flowed  over  one  whose  spirit  was  even  purer 
than  its  own  mountain  springs,  with  glistening  eyes. 
Even  the  Delaware  turned  aside  to  conceal  his  weakness, 
while  the  common  men  gazed  on  the  ceremony  with  won 
dering  eyes  and  chastened  feelings. 

The  business  of  the  day  closed  with  this  pious  office. 
By  order  of  the  commanding  officer  all  retired  early  to 

551 


552  THE   DEERSLAYER 

rest,  for  it  was  intended  to  begin  the  march  homewards 
with  the  return  of  light.  One  party,  indeed,  bearing  the 
wounded,  the  prisoners,  and  the  trophies,  had  left  the 
castle  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  under  the  guidance  of 
Hurry,  intending  to  reach  the  fort  by  shorter  marches. 
It  had  been  landed  on  the  point  so  often  mentioned,  or 
that  described  in  our  opening  pages;  and  when  the  sun 
set,  was  already  encamped  on  the  brow  of  the  long,  broken 
and  ridgy  hills  that  fell  away  towards  the  valley  of  the 
Mohawk.  The  departure  of  this  detachment  had  greatly 
simplified  the  duty  of  the  succeeding  day,  disencumbering 
its  march  of  its  baggage  and  wounded,  and  otherwise 
leaving  him  who  had  issued  the  order  greater  liberty  of 
action. 

Judith  held  no  communication  with  any  but  Hist,  after 
the  death  of  her  sister,  until  she  retired  for  the  night. 
Her  sorrow  had  been  respected,  and  both  the  females  had 
been  left  with  the  body,  unintruded  on  to  the  last  mo 
ment.  The  rattling  of  the  drum  broke  the  silence  of  that 
tranquil  water,1  and  the  echoes  of  the  tattoo  were  heard 
among  the  mountains  so  soon  after  the  ceremony  was 
over,  as  to  preclude  the  danger  of  interruption.  That 
star  which  had  been  the  guide  of  Hist,  rose  on  a  scene  as 
silent  as  if  the  quiet  of  nature  had  never  yet  been  disturbed 
by  the  labors  or  passions  of  man.  One  solitary  sentinel, 
with  his  relief,  paced  the  platform  throughout  the  night; 
and  morning  was  ushered  in,  as  usual,  by  the  martial 
beat  of  the  reveille. 

Military  precision  succeeded  to  the  desultory  proceed 
ings  of  border-men,  and  when  a  hasty  and  frugal  breakfast 
was  taken,  the  party  began  its  movement  towards  the 
shore,  with  a  regularity  and  order  that  prevented  noise 
or  confusion.  Of  all  the  officers,  Warley  alone  remained. 
Craig  headed  the  detachment  in  advance,  Thornton  was 
with  the  wounded,  and  Graham  accompanied  his  patients, 
as  a  matter  of  course.  Even  the  chest  of  Hutter,  with  all 
the  more  valuable  of  his  effects,  was  borne  away,  leaving 

1  In  January,  1779,  Major-General  Sullivan  and  General  George  Clinton  con 
ducted  a  successful  joint  expedition  into  this  region,  and  over  the  waters  of 
Otseffo  Lake  and  the  Susquehanna,  to  avenge  the  massacre  of  Wyoming.— See 
IBVING'S  LIFE  OF  WASHINGTON,  pages  400-425,  Wm.  L.  Allison,  N.  Y.,  publisher. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  553 

nothing  behind  that  was  worth  the  labor  of  a  removal. 
Judith  was  not  sorry  to  see  that  the  captain  respected  her 
feelings,  and  that  he  occupied  himself  entirely  with  the 
duty  of  his  command,  leaving  her  to  her  own  discretion 
and  feelings.  It  was  understood  by  all,  that  the  place 
was  to  be  totally  abandoned ;  but  beyond  this  no  explana 
tions  were  asked  or  given. 

The  soldiers  embarked  in  the  ark,  with  the  captain  at 
their  head.  He  had  inquired  of  Judith  in  what  way  she 
chose  to  proceed,  and  understanding  her  wish  to  remain 
with  Hist  to  the  last  moment,  he  neither  molested  her 
with  requests  nor  offended  her  with  advice.  There  was 
but  one  safe  and  familiar  trail  to  the  Mohawk;  and  on 
that,  at  the  proper  hour,  he  doubted  not  that  they  should 
meet  in  amity,  if  not  in  renewed  intercourse. 

When  all  were  on  board,  the  sweeps  were  manned,  and 
the  ark  moved  in  its  sluggish  manner  towards  the  distant 
point.  Deerslayer  and  Chingachgook  now  lifted  two  of 
the  canoes  from  the  water,  and  placed  them  in  the  castle. 
The  windows  and  doors  were  then  barred,  and  the  house 
was  left,  by  means  of  the  trap,  in  the  manner  already 
described.  On  quitting  the  palisades,  Hist  was  seen  in 
the  remaining  canoe,  where  the  Delaware  immediately 
joined  her,  and  paddled  away,  leaving  Judith  standing 
alone  on  the  platform.  Owing  to  this  prompt  proceeding 
Deerslayer  found  himself  alone  with  the  beautiful,  and 
still  weeping  mourner.  Too  simple  to  suspect  anything, 
the  young  man  swept  the  light  boat  round,  and  received 
its  mistress  in  it,  when  he  followed  the  course  already 
taken  by  his  friend. 

The  direction  to  the  point  led  diagonally  past,  and  at 
no  great  distance  from,  the  graves  of  the  dead.  As  the 
canoe  glided  by,  Judith,  for  the  first  time  that  morning, 
spoke  to  her  companion.  She  said  but  little,  merely 
uttering  a  simple  request  to  stop  for  a  minute  or  two, 
ere  she  left  the  place. 

"I  may  never  see  this  spot  again,  Deerslayer, "  she  said, 
"and  it  contains  the  bodies  of  my  mother  and  sister!  Is 
it  not  possible,  think  you,  that  the  innocence  of  one  of 
these  beings  may  answer,  in  the  eyes  of  God,  for  the  sal 
vation  of  both?" 


554  THE   DEERSLAYER 

"I  don't  understand  it  so,  Judith;  though  I'm  no  mis 
sionary,  and  am  but  poorly  taught.  Each  spirit  answers 
for  its  own  backslidings;  though  a  hearty  repentance  will 
satisfy  God's  laws." 

"Then  must  my  poor,  poor  mother,  be  in  heaven!  Bit 
terly — bitterly  has  she  repented  of  her  sins;  and  surely 
her  sufferings  in  this  life  ought  to  count  as  something 
against  her  sufferings  in  the  next!" 

"All  this  goes  beyond  me,  Judith.  I  strive  to  do  right, 
here,  as  the  surest  means  of  keeping  all  right,  hereafter. 
Hetty  was  oncommon,  as  all  that  know'd  her  must  allow; 
and  her  soul  was  as  fit  to  consort  with  angels,  the  hour  it 
left  its  body,  as  that  of  any  saint  in  the  Bible!" 

"I  do  believe  you  only  do  her  justice!  Alas!  alas! — 
that  there  should  be  so  great  differences  between  those 
who  were  nursed  at  the  same  breast,  slept  in  the  same 
bed,  and  dwelt  under  the  same  roof!  But,  no  matter,— 
move  the  canoe  a  little  further  east,  Deerslayer;  the  sun 
so  dazzles  my  eyes  that  I  cannot  see  the  graves.  This  is 
Hetty's  on  the  right  of  mother's?" 

"Sartain — you  asked  that  of  us;  and  all  are  glad  to 
do  as  you  wish,  Judith,  when  you  do  that  which  is 
right." 

The  girl  gazed  at  him  near  a  minute,  in  silent  atten 
tion;  then  she  turned  her  eyes  backward,  at  the  castle. 

"This  lake  will  soon  be  entirely  deserted,"  she  said, 
"and  this,  too,  at  a  moment  when  it  will  be  a  more  secure 
dwelling-place  than  ever.  What  has  so  lately  happened 
will  prevent  the  Iroquois  from  venturing  again  to  visit 
it,  for  a  long  time  to  come." 

"That  it  will! — yes,  that  may  be  set  down  as  settled. 
I  do  not  mean  to  pass  this-away,  ag'in,  so  long  as  the 
war  lasts;  for,  to  my  mind,  no  Huron  moccasin  will  leave 
its  print  on  the  leaves  of  this  forest,  until  their  traditions 
have  forgotten  to  tell  their  young  men  of  their  disgrace 
and  rout." 

"And  do  you  so  delight  in  violence  and  bloodshed?  I 
had  thought  better  of  you,  Deerslayer — believed  you  one 
who  could  find  his  happiness  in  a  quiet,  domestic  home, 
with  an  attached  and  loving  wife,  ready  to  study  your 
wishes,  and  healthy  and  dutiful  children,  anxious  to  fol- 


THE   DEERSLAYER  555 

low  in  your  footsteps,  and  to  become  as  honest  and  just 
as  yourself. ' ' 

"Lord,  Judith,  what  a  tongue  you're  mistress  of! 
Speech  and  looks  go  hand  in  hand,  like;  and  what  one 
can't  do,  the  other  is  pretty  sartain  to  perform!  Such  a 
gal,  in  a  month,  might  spoil  the  stoutest  warrior  in  the 
colony." 

"And  am  I  then  so  mistaken?  Do  you  really  love  war, 
Deerslayer,  better  than  the  hearth  and  the  affections?" 

"I  understand  your  meaning,  gal;  yes,  I  do  understand 
what  you  mean,  I  believe,  though  I  don't  think  you  alto 
gether  understand  me.  Warrior  I  may  now  call  myself,  I 
suppose,  for  I've  both  fou't  and  conquered,  which  is  suffi 
cient  for  the  name;  neither  will  I  deny  that  I've  feelin's 
for  the  callin',  which  is  both  manful  and  honorable,  when 
carried  on  accordin'  to  nat'ral  gifts — but  I've  no  relish 
for  blood.  Youth  is  youth,  hows'ever,  and  a  Mingo  is  a 
Mingo.  If  the  young  men  of  this  region  stood  by,  and 
suffered  the  vagabonds  to  overrun  the  land,  why,  we 
might  as  well  all  turn  Frenchers  at  once,  and  give  up 
country  and  kin.  I'm  no  fire-eater,  Judith,  or  one  that 
likes  fightin'  for  fightin's  sake;  but  I  can  see  no  great 
difference  atween  givin'  up  territory  afore  a  war,  out  of 
a  dread  of  war,  and  givin'  it  up  a'ter  a  war,  because  we 
can't  help  it — onless  it  be  that  the  last  is  the  most  manful 
and  honorable." 

"No  woman  would  ever  wish  to  see  her  husband  or 
brother  stand  by  and  submit  to  insult  and  wrong,  Deer- 
slayer,  however  she  might  mourn  the  necessity  of  his 
running  into  the  dangers  of  battle.  But  you've  done 
enough  already,  in  clearing  this  region  of  the  Hurons; 
since  to  you  is  principally  owing  the  credit  of  our  late 
victory.  Now,  listen  to  me  patiently,  and  answer  me 
with  that  native  honesty,  which  it  is  as  pleasant  to  regard 
in  one  of  your  sex  as  it  is  unusual  to  meet  with." 

Judith  paused;  for  now  that  she  was  on  the  very  point 
of  explaining  herself,  native  modesty  asserted  its  power, 
notwithstanding  the  encouragement  and  confidence  she 
derived  from  the  great  simplicity  of  her  companion's 
character.  Her  cheeks,  which  had  so  lately  been  pale, 
flushed,  and  her  eyes  lighted  with  some  of  their  former 


556  THE   DEERSLAYER 

brilliancy.  Feeling  gave  expression  to  her  countenance, 
and  softness  to  her  voice,  rendering  her  who  was  always 
beautiful,  trebly  seductive  and  winning. 

"Deerslayer,"  she  said,  after  a  considerable  pause, 
"this  is  not  a  moment  for  affectation,  deception,  or  a 
want  of  frankness  of  any  sort.  Here,  over  my  mother's 
grave,  and  over  the  grave  of  truth-loving,  truth-telling 
Hetty,  everything  like  unfair  dealing  seems  to  be  out  of 
place.  I  will  therefore  speak  to  you  without  any  reserve, 
and  without  any  dread  of  being  misunderstood.  You  are 
not  an  acquaintance  of  a  week,  but  it  appears  to  me  as  if 
I  had  known  you  for  years.  So  much,  and  so  much  that 
is  important,  has  taken  place  within  that  short  time,  that 
the  sorrows,  and  dangers,  and  escapes  of  a  whole  life 
have  been  crowded  into  a  few  days;  and  they  who  have 
suffered  and  acted  together  in  such  scenes,  ought  not  to 
feel  like  strangers.  I  know  that  what  I  am  about  to  say 
might  be  misunderstood  by  most  men,  but  I  hope  for  a 
generous  construction  of  my  course  from  you.  We  are 
not  here  dwelling  among  the  arts  and  deceptions  of  the 
settlements,  but  young  people  who  have  no  occasion  to 
deceive  each  other,  in  any  manner  or  form.  I  hope  I 
make  myself  understood  ? ' ' 

"Sartain,  Judith;  few  convarse  better  than  yourself, 
and  none  more  agreeable,  like.  Your  words  are  as  pleas 
ant  as  your  looks. ' ' 

"It  is  the  manner  in  which  you  have  so  often  praised 
those  looks,  that  gives  me  courage  to  proceed.  Still, 
Deerslayer,  it  is  not  easy  for  one  of  my  sex  and  years  to 
forget  all  her  lessons  of  infancy,  all  her  habits,  and  her 
natural  diffidence,  and  say  openly  what  her  heart  feels!" 

"Why  not,  Judith?  Why  shouldn't  women  as  well  as 
men  deal  fairly  and  honestly  by  their  fellow-creatur's?  I 
see  no  reason  why  you  should  not  speak  as  plainly  as 
myself,  when  there  is  anything  ra'ally  important  to  be 
said." 

This  indomitable  diffidence,  which  still  prevented  the 
young  man  from  suspecting  the  truth,  would  have  com 
pletely  discouraged  the  girl,  had  not  her  whole  soul,  as 
well  as  her  whole  heart,  been  set  upon  making  a  desper 
ate  effort  to  rescue  herself  from  a  future  that  she  dreaded 


THE   DEERSLAYER  557 

with  a  horror  as  vivid  as  the  distinctness  with  which  she 
fancied  she  foresaw  it.  This  motive,  however,  raised  her 
above  all  common  considerations,  and  she  persevered  even 
to  her  own  surprise,  if  not  to  her  great  confusion. 

"I  will — I  must  deal  as  plainly  with  you,  as  I  would 
with  poor,  dear  Hetty,  were  that  sweet  child  living!"  she 
continued,  turning  pale,  instead  of  blushing,  the  high 
resolution  by  which  she  was  prompted  reversing  the  effect 
that  such  a  procedure  would  ordinarily  produce  on  one  of 
her  sex;  "yes,  I  will  smother  all  other  feelings,  in  the  one 
that  is  now  uppermost!  You  love  the  woods  and  the  life 
that  we  pass,  here,  in  the  wilderness,  away  from  the 
dwellings  and  towns  of  the  whites." 

"As  I  loved  my  parents,  Judith,  when  they  was  living! 
This  very  spot  would  be  all  creation  to  me,  could  this  war 
be  fairly  over,  once;  and  the  settlers  kept  at  a  distance." 

"Why  quit  it,  then?  It  has  no  owner — at  least  none 
who  can  claim  a  better  right  than  mine,  and  that  I  freely 
give  to  you.  Were  it  a  kingdom,  Deerslayer,  I  think  I 
should  delight  to  say  the  same.  Let  us  then  return  to  it, 
after  we  have  seen  the  priest  at  the  fort,  and  never  quit 
it  again,  until  God  calls  us  away  to  that  world  where  we 
shall  find  the  spirits  of  poor  mother  and  sister." 

A  long,  thoughtful  pause  succeeded ;  Judith  having  cov 
ered  her  face  with  both  her  hands,  after  forcing  herself  to 
utter  so  plain  a  proposal,  and  Deerslayer  musing  equally 
in  sorrow  and  surprise,  on  the  meaning  of  the  language 
he  had  just  heard.  At  length  the  hunter  broke  the  silence, 
speaking  in  a  tone  that  was  softened  to  gentleness  by  his 
desire  not  to  offend. 

"You  haven't  thought  well  of  this,  Judith,"  he  said; 
"no,  your  feelin's  are  awakened  by  all  that  has  lately 
happened,  and  believin'  yourself  to  be  without  kindred  in 
the  world,  you  are  in  too  great  haste  to  find  some  to  fill 
the  places  of  them  that's  lost." 

"Were  I  living  in  a  crowd  of  friends,  Deerslayer,  I 
should  still  think  as  I  now  think, — say  as  I  now  say,"  re 
turned  Judith,  speaking  with  her  hands  still  shading  her 
lovely  face. 

"Thank  you,  gal — thank  you,  from  the  bottom  of  my 
heart.  Hows' ever,  I  am  not  one  to  take  advantage  of  a 


558  THE   DEERSLAYER 

weak  moment,  when  you're  forgetful  of  your  own  great 
advantages,  and  fancy  'arth  and  all  it  holds  is  in  this 
little  canoe.  No— no — Judith,  'twould  be  onginerous  in 
me;  what  you've  offered  can  never  come  to  pass!" 

"It  all  may  be,  and  that  without  leaving  cause  of  re 
pentance  to  any,"  answered  Judith,  with  an  impetuosity 
of  feeling  and  manner,  that  at  once  unveiled  her  eyes. 
"We  can  cause  the  soldiers  to  leave  our  goods  on  the 
road,  till  we  return,  when  they  can  easily  be  brought 
back  to  the  house;  the  lake  will  be  no  more  visited  by  the 
enemy,  this  war  at  least;  all  your  skins  may  be  readily 
sold  at  the  garrison;  there  you  can  buy  the  few  necessa 
ries  we  shall  want,  for  I  wish  never  to  see  the  spot  again; 
and  Deerslayer, "  added  the  girl,  smiling  with  a  sweetness 
and  nature  that  the  young  man  found  it  hard  to  resist, 
"as  a  proof  how  wholly  I  am  and  wish  to  be  yours — how 
completely  I  desire  to  be  nothing  but  your  wife,  the  very 
first  fire  that  we  kindle,  after  our  return,  shall  be  lighted 
with  the  brocade  dress,  and  fed  by  every  article  I  have 
that  you  may  think  unfit  for  the  woman  you  wish  to  live 
with!" 

"Ah's  me!  you're  a  winning  and  a  lovely  creatur', 
Judith;  yes,  you  are  all  that,  and  no  one  can  deny  it,  and 
speak  truth.  These  pictur's  are  pleasant  to  the  thoughts, 
but  they  mightn't  prove  so  happy  as  you  now  think  'em. 
Forget  it  all,  therefore,  and  let  us  paddle  after  the 
Sarpent  and  Hist,  as  if  nothing  had  been  said  on  the 
subject. ' ' 

Judith  was  deeply  mortified,  and  what  is  more,  she  was 
profoundly  grieved.  Still  there  was  a  steadiness  and 
quiet  in  the  manner  of  Deerslayer,  that  completely  smoth 
ered  her  hopes,  and  told  her  that  for  once,  her  exceeding 
beauty  had  failed  to  excite  the  admiration  and  homage  it 
was  wont  to  receive.  Women  are  said  seldom  to  forgive 
those  who  slight  their  advances;  but  this  high-spirited 
and  impetuous  girl  entertained  no  shadow  of  resentment, 
then  or  ever,  against  the  fair-dealing  and  ingenuous 
hunter.  At  the  moment,  the  prevailing  feeling  was  the 
wish  to  be  certain  that  there  was  no  misunderstanding. 
After  another  painful  pause,  therefore,  she  brought  the 
matter  to  an  issue,  by  a  question  too  direct  to  admit  of 
equivocation. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  559 

"God  forbid  that  we  lay  up  regrets  in  after  life, 
through  any  want  of  sincerity  now,"  she  said.  "I  hope 
we  understand  each  other  at  least.  You  will  not  accept 
me  for  a  wife,  Deerslayer?" 

"  'Tis  better  for  both  that  I  shouldn't  take  advantage 
of  your  own  f orgetfulness,  Judith.  We  can  never  marry. ' ' 

"You  do  not  love  me, — cannot  find  it  in  your  heart, 
perhaps,  to  esteem  me,  Deerslayer!" 

"Everything  in  the  way  of  fri'ndship,  Judith — every 
thing,  even  to  sarvices  and  life  itself.  Yes,  I'd  risk  as 
much  for  you,  at  this  moment,  as  I  would  risk  in  behalf 
of  Hist;  and  that  is  sayin'  as  much  as  I  can  say  of  any 
darter  of  woman.  I  do  not  think  I  feel  towards  either — 
mind  I  say  either,  Judith — as  if  I  wished  to  quit  father 
and  mother — if  father  and  mother  waslivin';  which,  how 
ever,  neither  is — but  if  both  was  livin',  I  do  not  feel 
towards  any  woman  as  if  I  wish'd  to  quit  'em  in  order  to 
cleave  unto  her. ' ' 

"This  is  enough!"  answered  Judith,  in  a  rebuked  and 
smothered  voice;  "I  understand  all  that  you  mean.  Marry 
you  cannot,  without  loving;  and  that  love  you  do  not  feel 
for  me.  Make  no  answer  if  I  am  right,  for  I  shall  under 
stand  your  silence.  That  will  be  painful  enough  of  itself. ' ' 

Deerslayer  obeyed  her,  and  he  made  no  reply.  For 
more  than  a  minute  the  girl  riveted  her  bright  eyes  on 
him  as  if  to  read  his  soul;  while  he  sat  playing  with  the 
water,  like  a  corrected  schoolboy.  Then  Judith  herself 
dropped  the  end  of  her  paddle,  and  urged  the  canoe  away 
from  the  spot,  with  a  movement  as  reluctant  as  the  feel 
ings  which  controlled  it.  Deerslayer  quietly  aided  the 
effort,  however,  and  they  were  soon  on  the  trackless  line 
taken  by  the  Delaware. 

In  their  way  to  the  point,  not  another  syllable  was  ex 
changed  between  Deerslayer  and  his  fair  companion.  As 
Judith  sat  in  the  bow  of  the  canoe,  her  back  was  turned 
towards  him,  else  it  is  probable  the  expression  of  her 
countenance  might  have  induced  him  to  venture  some 
soothing  terms  of  friendship  and  regard.  Contrary  to 
what  would  have  been  expected,  resentment  was  still 
absent,  though  the  color  frequently  changed  from  the 
deep  flush  of  mortification  to  the  paleness  of  disappoint- 


560  THE  DEERSLAYER 

merit.  Sorrow,  deep,  heartfelt  sorrow,  however,  was  the 
predominant  emotion,  and  this  was  betrayed  in  a  manner 
not  to  be  mistaken. 

As  neither  labored  hard  at  the  paddle,  the  ark  had 
already  arrived,  and  the  soldiers  had  disembarked  before 
the  canoe  of  the  two  loiterers  reached  the  point.  Chin- 
gachgook  had  preceded  it,  and  was  already  some  distance 
in  the  wood,  at  a  spot  where  the  two  trails,  that  to  the 
garrison,  and  that  to  the  villages  of  the  Delawares,  sepa 
rated.  The  soldiers,  too,  had  taken  up  their  line  of  march ; 
first  setting  the  ark  adrift  again,  with  a  reckless  disregard 
of  its  fate.  All  this  Judith  saw,  but  she  heeded  it  not. 
The  Glimmerglass  had  no  longer  any  charms  for  her;  and 
when  she  I  put  her  foot  on  the  strand,  she  immediately 
proceeded  on  the  trail  of  the  soldiers,  without  casting  a 
single  glance  behind  her.  Even  Hist  was  passed  un 
noticed;  that  modest  young  creature  shrinking  from  the 
averted  face  of  Judith,  as  if  guilty  herself  of  some  wrong 
doing. 

"Wait  you  here,  Sarpent, "  said  Deerslayer,  as  he  fol 
lowed  in  the  footsteps  of  the  dejected  beauty,  while  pass 
ing  his  friend.  "I  will  just  see  Judith  among  her  party 
and  come  and  j'ine  you." 

A  hundred  yards  had  hid  the  couple  from  those  in  front 
as  well  as  those  in  the  rear,  when  Judith  turned  and 
spoke. 

"This  will  do,  Deerslayer,"  she  said,  sadly.  "I  under 
stand  your  kindness,  but  shall  not  need  it.  In  a  few  min 
utes  I  shall  reach  the  soldiers.  As  you  cannot  go  with 
me  on  the  journey  of  life,  I  do  not  wish  you  to  go  further 
on  this.  But  stop ;  before  we  part  I  would  ask  you  a  single 
question.  And  I  require  of  you  as  you  fear  God,  and 
reverence  the  truth,  not  to  deceive  me  in  your  answer.  I 
know  you  do  not  love  another;  and  I  can  see  but  one  rea 
son  why  you  cannot,  will  not  love  me.  Tell  me,  then, 

Deerslayer The  girl  paused,  the  words  she  was 

about  to  utter  seeming  to  choke  her.  Then  rallying  all  her 
resolution,  with  a  face  that  flushed  and  paled  at  every 
breath  she  drew,  she  continued:  "Tell  me,  then,  Deer- 
slayer,  if  anything  light  of  me,  that  Henry  March  has 
said,  may  not  have  influenced  your  feelings?" 


THE   DEERSLAYER  561 

Truth  was  the  Deerslayer's  polar  star.  He  ever  kept  it 
in  view;  and  it  was  nearly  impossible  for  him  to  avoid 
uttering  it,  even  when  prudence  demanded  silence. 
Judith  read  his  answer  in  his  countenance;  and  with  a 
heart  nearly  broken  by  the  consciousness  of  undeserving, 
she  signed  to  him  an  adieu,  and  buried  herself  in  the 
woods.  For  some  time  Deerslayer  was  irresolute  as  to 
his  course;  but  in  the  end,  he  retraced  his  steps  and  joined 
the  Delaware.  That  night,  the  three  "camped"  on  the 
head-waters  of  their  own  river,  and  the  succeeding  eve 
ning  they  entered  the  village  of  the  tribe;  Chingachgook 
and  his  betrothed,  in  triumph;  their  companion  honored 
and  admired,  but  in  a  sorrow  that  it  required  months  of 
activity  to  remove. 

The  war  that  then  had  its  rise  was  stirring  and  bloody. 
The  Delaware  chief  rose  among  his  people,  until  his  name 
was  never  mentioned  without  eulogiums;  while  another 
Uncas,  the  last  of  his  race,  was  added  to  the  long  line  of 
warriors  who  bore  that  distinguished  appellation.  As  for 
the  Deerslayer,  under  the  sobriquet  of  Hawkeye,  he  made 
his  fame  spread  far  and  near,  until  the  crack  of  his  rifle 
became  as  terrible  to  the  ears  of  the  Mingoes  as  the 
thunders  of  the  Manitou.  His  services  were  soon  required 
by  the  officers  of  the  crown,  and  he  especially  attached 
himself,  in  the  field,  to  one  in  particular,  with  whose 
after-life  he  had  a  close  and  important  connection. 

Fifteen  years  had  passed  away,  ere  it  was  in  the  power 
of  the  Deerslayer  to  revisit  the  Glimmerglass.  A  peace 
had  intervened,  and  it  was  on  the  eve  of  another,  and 
still  more  important  war,  when  he  and  his  constant 
friend,  Chingachgook,  were  hastening  to  the  forts  to  join 
their  allies.  A  stripling  accompanied  them,  for  Hist 
already  slumbered  beneath  the  pines  of  the  Delawares, 
and  the  three  survivors  had  now  become  inseparable. 
They  reached  the  lake  just  as  the  sun  was  setting.  Here 
all  was  unchanged;  the  river  still  rushed;  through  its 
bower  of  trees;  the  little  rock  was  wasting  away  by  the 
slow  action  of  the  waves  in  the  course  of  centuries;  the 
mountains  stood  in  their  native  dress,  dark,  rich,  and 
mysterious;  while  the  sheet  glistened  in  its  solitude,  a 
beautiful  gem  of  the  forest. 
36 


562  THE  DEERSLAYER 

The  following  morning  the  youth  discovered  one  of  the 
canoes  drifted  on  the  shore,  in  a  state  of  decay.  A  little 
labor  put  it  in  a  state  for  service,  and  they  all  embarked, 
with  a  desire  to  examine  the  place.  All  the  points  were 
passed,  and  Chingachgook  pointed  out  to  his  son  the  spot 
where  the  Hurons  had  first  encamped,  and  the  point 
whence  he  had  succeeded  in  stealing  his  bride.  Here 
they  even  landed;  but  all  trace  of  the  former  visit  had 
disappeared.  Next  they  proceeded  to  the  scene  of  the 
battle,  and  there  they  found  a  few  of  the  signs  that  linger 
around  such  localities.  Wild  beasts  had  disinterred  many 
of  the  bodies,  and  human  bones  were  bleaching  in  the 
rains  of  summer.  Uncas  regarded  all  with  reverence  and 
pity,  though  traditions  were  already  rousing  his  young 
mind  to  the  ambition  and  sternness  of  a  warrior. 

From  the  point,  the  canoe  took  its  way  towards  the 
shoal,  where  the  remains  of  the  castle  were  still  visible,  a 
picturesque  ruin.  The  storms  of  winter  had  long  since 
unroofed  the  house,  and  decay  had  eaten  into  the  logs. 
All  the  fastenings  were  untouched,  but  the  seasons  rioted 
in  the  place,  as  if  in  mockery  at  the  attempt  to  exclude 
them.  The  palisades  were  rotting,  as  were  the  piles;  and 
it  was  evident  that  a  few  more  recurrences  of  winter,  a 
few  more  gales  and  tempests,  would  sweep  all  into  the 
lake,  and  blot  the  building  from  the  face  of  that  magnifi 
cent  solitude.  The  graves  could  not  be  found.  Either 
the  elements  had  obliterated  their  traces,  or  time  had 
caused  those  who  looked  for  them  to  forget  their  position. 

The  ark  was  discovered  stranded  on  the  eastern  shore, 
where  it  had  long  before  been  driven,  with  the  prevalent 
northwest  winds.  It  lay  on  the  sandy  extremity  of  a  long 
low  point,  that  is  situated  about  two  miles  from  the  out 
let,  and  which  is  itself  fast  disappearing  before  the  action 
of  the  elements.  The  scow  was  filled  with  water,  the 
cabin  unroofed,  and  the  logs  were  decaying.  Some  of  its 
coarser  furniture  still  remained,  and  the  heart  of  Deer- 
slayer  beat  quick  as  he  found  a  ribbon  of  Judith's  flutter 
ing  from  a  log.  It  recalled  all  her  beauty,  and,  we  may 
add,  all  her  failings.  Although  the  girl  had  never  touched 
his  heart,  the  Hawkeye,  for  so  we  ought  now  to  call  him, 
still  retained  a  kind  and  sincere  interest  in  her  welfare. 


THE   DEERSLAYER  563 

He  tore  away  the  ribbon  and  knotted  it  to  the  stock  of 
Killdeer,  which  had  been  the  gift  of  the  girl  herself. 

A  few  miles  further  up  the  lake  another  of  the  canoes 
was  discovered;  and  on  the  point  where  the  party  finally 
landed,  were  found  those  which  had  been  left  there  upon 
the  shore.  That  in  which  the  present  navigation  was 
made,  and  the  one  discovered  on  the  eastern  shore,  had 
dropped  through  the  decayed  floor  of  the  castle,  drifted 
past  the  falling  palisades,  and  had  been  thrown  as  waifs 
upon  the  beach. 

From  all  these  signs,  it  was  probable  the  lake  had  not 
been  visited  since  the  occurrence  of  the  final  scene  of  our 
tale.  Accident  or  tradition  had  rendered  it  again  a  spot 
sacred  to  nature;  the  frequent  wars,  and  the  feeble  pop 
ulation  of  the  colonies,  still  confining  the  settlements 
within  narrow  boundaries.  Chingachgook  and  his  friend 
left  the  spot  with  melancholy  feelings.  It  had  been  the 
region  of  their  First  War-Path,  and  it  carried  back  the 
minds  of  both  to  scenes  of  tenderness  as  well  as  to  hours 
of  triumph.  They  held  their  way  towards  the  Mohawk  in 
silence,  however,  to  rush  into  new  adventures,  as  stirring 
and  as  remarkable  as  those  which  had  attended  their 
opening  career  on  this  lovely  lake.  At  a  later  day  they 
returned  to  the  place,  where  the  Indian  found  a  grave. 

Time  and  circumstances  have  drawn  an  impenetrable 
mystery  around  all  else  connected  with  the  Hutters.  They 
lived,  erred,  died,  and  are  forgotten.  None  connected 
have  felt  sufficient  interest  in  the  disgraced  and  disgrac 
ing,  to  withdraw  the  veil;  and  a  century  is  about  to  erase 
even  the  recollection  of  their  names.  The  history  of 
crime  is  ever  revolting,  and  it  is  fortunate  that  few  love 
to  dwell  on  its  incidents.  The  sins  of  the  family  have 
long  since  been  arraigned  at  the  judgment-seat  of  God, 
or  are  registered  for  the  terrible  settlement  of  the  last 
great  day. 

The  same  fate  attended  Judith.  When  Hawkey e  reached 
the  garrison  on  the  Mohawk,  he  inquired  anxiously  after 
that  lovely,  but  misguided  creature.  None  knew  her — 
even  her  person  was  no  longer  remembered.  Other  offi 
cers  had  again  and  again  succeeded  the  Warleys  and  Craigs 
and  Grahams;  though  an  old  sergeant  of  the  garrison, 


564  THE   DEERSLAYER 

who  had  lately  come  from  England,  was  enabled  to  tell 
our  hero  that  Sir  Robert  Warley  lived  on  his  paternal 
estates,  and  that  there  was  a  lady  of  rare  beauty  in  the 
lodge,  who  had  great  influence  over  him,  though  she  did 
not  bear  his  name.  Whether  this  was  Judith,  relapsed 
into  her  early  failing,  or  some  other  victim  of  the  sol 
dier's,  Hawkeye  never  knew,  nor  would  it  be  pleasant  or 
profitable  to  inquire.  We  live  in  a  world  of  transgres 
sions  and  selfishness,  and  no  pictures  that  represent  us 
otherwise  can  be  true;  though  happily  for  human  nature, 
gleamings  of  that  pure  spirit  in  whose  likeness  man  has 
been  fashioned,  are  to  be  seen,  relieving  its  deformities, 
and  mitigating,  if  not  excusing  its  crimes. 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


1991 


A    000  569  484     9 


• 


u 


I 

I 


